Kathmandu: The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has filed a petition at the Supreme Court (SC) requesting a review of the court's verdict that mandates maintaining a 20-meter space on either side of rivers in the Kathmandu Valley.

The joint division bench of SC Justices Dr. Anandamohan Bhattarai and Binod Sharma had previously issued a ruling to ensure a 20-meter buffer zone along riverbanks and to remove settlements that have encroached on public land.

The government's petition argues that decisions on riverbank construction are within the purview of the executive branch, and the court's ruling oversteps into executive matters. Additionally, the petition contends that implementing the verdict may be impractical.

Earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had indicated the government's intent to challenge the SC decision, which prohibits construction within the newly established 20-meter buffer zones.

Phanindra Gautam, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, filed the petition on behalf of the government through the Office of the Attorney General, asserting that the court’s ruling should be reviewed due to concerns about feasibility and manageability in enforcing the decision.