By Lucky Chaudhary, Kathmandu, Oct. 2: The hearing of the writ petition filed against the appointment of Bamdev Gautam, vice-Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party, as the National Assembly member has begun in the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.

Bhadrakali Pokharel, spokesperson of the SC, confirmed that the procedure of the hearing, which was kept understudy on Wednesday, had already begun.

Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi had filed the writ petition at the apex court on September 20 against the Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, National Assembly, Central office of NCP and Gautam, citing that the appointment was unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana, Justices Dipak Kumar Karki, Hari Krishna Karki, Bishwambar Prasad Shrestha and Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada are hearing the case in the constitutional bench.

On September 23, a single-bench of Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai had referred the case to the constitutional bench stating that the case required constitutional interpretation.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on the recommendation of the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on September 14 had appointed Gautam as the NA member.