- Jha met President Yadav on Friday
- President, PM likely to meet over the issue on Monday
- Jha also consulting lawyers, leaders
KATHMANDU, Aug 3: Paramananda Jha, who is at the center of controversy after the Supreme Court nullified his oath for the post of vice president, has turned down a request from President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to take a fresh oath in Nepali. During a meeting with the president on Friday evening, Jha declined the request, a highly-placed political source and Jha´s close aides said. [break]
The meeting was arranged to seek a solution to the controversy after his oath in Hindi was nullified by the SC on July 24. Sources said the meeting was arranged upon the request of Jha, who, however, refused to comment on the meeting.
A close aide to Jha confirmed that Jha had a 15-minute meeting with the president. The meeting was kept secret, fearing controversy it might have triggered, the source said.
President Yadav, the source said, had asked Jha to take a fresh oath, but Jha turned down the request.
Meanwhile, Yadav consulted his advisors and senior bureaucrats at his office on Sunday on finding solution to the oath row. The meeting decided to consult Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, president´s principal advisor on administering a fresh oath to Jha.
Yadav also consulted senior advocate and former attorney general Badri Bahadur Karki on Sunday. Karki reportedly suggested the President to consult the government on the issue.
Sources said Prime Minister Madhav Nepal is likely to meet Yadav on Monday. “After the meeting, we will write to the government asking for suggestions on implementing the SC verdict,” said a senior official at Shital Niwas.
Jha also consulting lawyers
In the meantime, Jha is also engaged in legal and political consultations. He met Chairman of the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Mahantha Thakur on Sunday. He has invited over ten lawyers close to major political parties for consultations on Monday, said another aide to Jha. Advocate Tulsi Bhatta, one of the lawyers invited by Jha, confirmed that the meeting has been arranged.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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