Mahantha Thakur files writ petition against poll body’s decision

KATHMANDU, July 30: Mahantha Thakur has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court (SC) against the decision made by the Election Commission over Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP)’s legitimacy row.  Hearing over the petition filed by both the factions of the JSP – one close to Upendra Yadav and the other to Thakur–, the full bench of the poll body, on July 26, granted the party’s legitimacy to the Yadav faction and asked the Thakur faction to come up with a new name and get registered.  Earlier, the election body conducted ‘head count’ of the Executive Committee members and also verified their signatures to ensure whether the majority of members support either of the factions.  According to a source at the apex court, Thakur got his petition registered on Thursday itself.  The hearing over the petition has been scheduled for Sunday.