KATHMANDU, April 11: Seventeen High Court judges took oath of office and secrecy on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Justice Cholendra SJB Rana despite their nomination courting widespread controversy.

Patan High Court Chief Judge Prakash Kumar Dhungana who was recently promoted as Supreme Court justice administered the oath of office and secrecy to the seventeen High Court judges at the Supreme Court. Nominees for Supreme Court justices are waiting for the parliamentary hearings prior to assuming their positions.

The judges have been facing criticism for being picked by the Judicial Council on the basis of power sharing agreement between the political parties, nepotism and favoritism.

Deputy Attorney General Kiran Paudel, Supreme Court Registrar Mahendra Nath Upadhyaya, Secretary of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Ramesh Dhakal were among those who took oath of office and secrecy as HC judges.

Nilam Paudel who retired following the promulgation of the Constitution was brought back as high court judge.

Likewise, district court judges Rajesh Kumar Kafle, Lekhnath Dhakal, Kul Prasad Sharma, Mohammad Juned Ajad, Bal Mukunda Dawadi and Nagendra Lav Karna also took oath of office and secrecy as high court judges. They were promoted as high court judges despite facing charges of violating code of conduct of judges. The appointing authority recently suspended the investigations against them.

Seven advocates Jagat Bahadur Thapa, Sarala Kumari Pandey, Bimal Subedi, Renuka Shah, Dal Kumar Khadka, Ujjawal Sukla and Nawaraj Thapaliya also took oath as HC judges.

Anju Upreti Dhakal, one among the appointees did not take the oath because her appointment would come into effect on April 16.

 
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