KATHMANDU, Nov 13: The Supreme Court has quashed a writ petition filed by Casino Mahjong, which operates a casino in Soaltee Crowne Plaza premises, requiring the casino operator to clear liability of 49 employees of the Nepal Recreation Center (NRC).
Casino Majhong is operating in the premises vacated by NRC. NRC operated casino in Soaltee Crowne Plaza until 2012.
The full text of the verdict issued in August, which was made public on Thursday, states that Casino Mahjong is responsible to settle all liabilities and payables of NRC. The payables to employees are in tune of Rs 80 million, employees have claimed.
Casino Mahjong had filed the writ, challenging the verdict of Labor Court which had ruled that the liabilities of 49 employees were on Mahjong.
“The court has confirmed that there has not been change in ownership. It is the continuation of NRC in the new name. As the new operator has used all the infrastructures of NRC, all its liabilities is transferred to Mahjong,” Mukunda Raj Kharel, the coordinator of a committee formed by the employees in order to make their grievance addressed, told Republica.
All 49 NRC employees had continued to work with Mahjong which wanted to give them new appointment. But they had denied the proposal and filed application at the Labor Office Kathmandu and Labor Court instead.
The Casino Regulations, 2013, made it mandatory for all casinos to register with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and clear all outstanding dues. The regulation has fixed paid-up capital of Rs 250 million for casino operators. Similarly, casino operators are required to show a ban guarantee of Rs 30 million to ensure payment of royalty.
A separate case filed by Casino Mahjong regarding payment of outstanding dues is sub judice at the Supreme Court.
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