Kathmandu, Aug. 6 -- A Supreme Court bench has allowed a review petition in the dispute over the legitimate leadership of the Nepali Congress, sending the case back for a fresh hearing before a three-justice bench.

The review will now determine whether the earlier verdict that recognised the faction led by Gagan Kumar Thapa as the party's legitimate leadership was legally correct. The outcome of the new hearing will decide the party's official status.

The review petition was filed by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and Purna Bahadur Khadka against the earlier ruling. A bench comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma and justices Nityananda Pandey and Shreekanta Paudel issued the order on Thursday.

The dispute had earlier be...