Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha on Thursday took the decision to form the committee headed by the senior-most justice Girish Chandra Lal. According to Supreme Court Co-spokesman Basudev Neupane, the committee includes Justices Baidyanath Upadhyaya and Govinda Kumar Upadhyaya as members while Joint-Registrar Nahakul Subedi is member secretary of the study committee.According to Neupane, the committee has been assigned to identify the existing irregularities in justice delivery, judicial administration and management and define irregularities within the judiciary. The committee has also been assigned to identify existing and probable irregularities in mobilizing financial and other resources within the judiciary. The committee has also been asked to collect facts related to such irregularities.
Chief Justice has also asked the committee to identify the judges, officials and judicial staffers involved in such irregularities and recommend action against them.
Likewise, the committee has also been assigned to recommend short-term and long-term action plans needed to tackle such irregularities through administrative, managerial, environmental, behavioral and legal ways.
"The committee has a jurisdiction of collecting suggestions from service seekers and others concerned if needed," stated a press release issued by Neupane.
While assuming office last month, Chief Justice Shrestha had reiterated that the Supreme Court would implement the zero-tolerance policy against corruption and talked about establishing Judicial Oversight Committee, a committee to keep a watch on irregularities and violations of codes within the judiciary. Though the committee formed under Justice Lal is not named as oversight committee, it has been assigned to identify irregularities and persons involved on such irregularities as well as to suggest action against such individuals.
"I have been reading media reports about irregularities in the judiciary. I am aware that the judiciary should not have a bad public image and bad press," Shrestha had said while assuming office.
The last national conference of the Nepal Bar Association had urged the leadership of judiciary to take action against corrupt judges and judicial staff. Likewise, NBA and its officials have frequently raised questions about the presence of middle-men in the court and their influence in justice delivery.
Related story
Government jobs and wanderlust
