The Supreme Court has ordered the government to explain how it decides on the declaration of public holidays, in response to a petition filed by Bharat Jangam, a lawyer and activist. Jangam, who earlier challenged and obtained a court order scrapping pensions for former MPs, argues that government officials have over 200 days off in a year. The court is also hearing two other petitions on holidays: in one the petitioner is demanding that the government should not scrap ?religious? holidays and in the other the plaintiff argues that the two-day weekend in Kathmandu Valley is illegal.