SC halts destruction of seized student devices
The ruling follows a writ filed by advocate Anil Kumar Sah and others, who argue that the destruction of confiscated devices was unlawful.
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued an interim order directing authorities not to destroy mobile phones and smartwatches confiscated from students during national examinations in Siraha, while demanding a written explanation from the government.
A bench led by Justice Shrikanth Paudel on Wednesday instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs not to proceed with the destruction of seized mobile devices or their data, and also issued a show-cause order in response to a petition challenging the move.
The ruling follows a writ filed by advocate Anil Kumar Sah and others, who argue that the destruction of confiscated devices was unlawful.
The petition claims that such items should have been returned to students or their guardians after the exams, possibly after fines or formal procedures, rather than being permanently destroyed.
During the recent Secondary Education Examination (SEE) conducted earlier this year, more than 500 mobile phones and smartwatches—including iPhones and Android devices—were confiscated from various exam centers in Siraha District in southeastern Nepal.
Authorities reportedly disposed of the devices by submerging them in water-filled drums following a decision by the District Examination Coordination Committee in Siraha and an announcement by a provincial education minister from Madhesh Province, a move that later triggered widespread public criticism after videos of the destruction surfaced online.
The petition also seeks compensation for affected students and guardians, citing both the market value of the confiscated devices and potential loss of personal data stored on them.
The SC has also ordered the government to submit its written response on the matter as proceedings continue.
