Over three dozen leaders and cadres of the seven-party alliance, who were arrested from different protest rallies in the capital were released on Friday, following the Supreme Court’s order.

The released include CPN-UML leaders Raghuji Pant, Surendra Pandey, Pradip Gyawali, Mahendra Pandey, Gopal Shakya, Gokarna Bista, Yuva Raj Karki, leader of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi-devi) Bharat Bimal Yadav, Rajendra Mahato, Dipendra Shrestha and Krishna Lal Shrestha of People’s Front Nepal, and Laxmi Shah and Kalyani Shah of United Marxist, among others.

A joint bench of Justices Parmananda Jha and Rajendra Prashad Koirala had issued the order for their release.

Likewise the apex court has also directed the government to furnish reasons for detaining more than 50 leaders and cadres of various political parties including Mahanta Thakur, Ram Baran Yadav, Uma Adhikari, Dipak Giri, Sushila Swar and Uma Kant Chaudhari.

Even as the government has been periodically freeing opposition leaders and cadres, there are still dozens of detainees including some senior leaders in custody around the country.