SC allows ex-King’s daughter to retain land

KATHMANDU, June 21: Supreme Court has annulled the government’s decision to transfer 15 ropanis (1 ropani=508.74 square meters) of land belonging to Prerana Singh, the daughter of former King Gyanendra, in the name of Nepal Trust.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah and Cholendra SJB Rana on Sunday also issued mandamus order to keep the land in the possession of Prerana Singh.

Prerana moved the Supreme Court on February 8, 2015 demanding annulment of the government’s move to transfer the land in the name of Nepal Trust as per the Council of Ministers’ decision of December 16, 2007.

Prerana has been claiming that the land at Chhauni, Kathmandu was provided to her by her father Gyanendra in dowry and that transferring the land in the name of Nepal Trust went against the law.

The division bench on Sunday upheld her claims stating that the clauses 3 and 4 of the Nepal Trust Act 2008 has provisions of transfer of properties owned only by King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and their sons in the name of Nepal Trust but says nothing about the properties owned by their relatives.

The court has said that the decision taken on December 16, 2007 was faulty and would be annulled.

The court has also ordered to maintain the ownership of the land and building on it, as mentioned in the letters from the royal palace on the dates of May 24, 2005 and July 3, 2006, in the name of Prerana Singh.

The government, immediately after overthrowing monarchy after the April movement in 2006, formed the trust with the mandate to acquire all properties belonging to late King Birendra Shah, Queen Aishwarya and their family members, preserve it and bring them into proper use.

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