CJ assures bar of 'systematic mechanism' for bloc hearings

Published On: November 14, 2017 03:00 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

We have expressed our concerns regarding the downsides of bloc hearings because each and every case could be of a different nature and such hearings could lead to injustice instead of justice. -- Senior advocate Yadunath Khanal

KATHMANDU, Nov 14: Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli on Monday assured lawyers of introducing a 'systematic mechanism' at the Supreme Court for bloc hearings' of cases of similar nature.

"I want to reduce the huge backlog of cases as this has been causing huge injustice to service seekers," senior advocate Harihar Dahal quoted CJ Parajuli as saying. According to Dahal, Parajuli also told lawyers that he would set up a mechanism for identifying and classifying cases for for 'bloc hearings'.

Around 70 senior advocates including Sarvagya Ratna Tuladhar, Krishna Prasad Bhandari, Harihar Dahal, Shambhu Thapa, and Balkrishna Neupane participated in the discussion organized by the Supreme Court and instead urged the judges to decide cases on the basis of their individual nature. Justices Deepak Raj Joshee, Om Prakash Mishra, Cholendra SJB Rana and Deepak Kumar Karki represented the Supreme Court at the discussion.

"We have expressed our concerns regarding the downsides of bloc hearings because each and every case could be of a different nature and such hearings could lead to injustice instead of justice," another participant senior advocate Yadunath Khanal said.

Some of the participants also suggested to the apex court that the idea of 'bloc hearing' many not be effective except in disputes relating to landowner and tenant and dismissal of employees.

The apex court also asked the lawyers to be ready to attend the court from 10.30 in the morning to start 'bloc hearings' from November 18. Some participants suggested to the court that the court be closed for two days in a row every week to give lawyers enough time to study the cases assigned to them.

"We suggested that the court be closed two days in a row every week so that the lawyers get enough time to do their homework on the cases," senior advocate Ravi Narayan Khanal, another participant of the meeting said.

He, however, said that most of the participants supported the idea of 'bloc hearing' introduced in the Supreme Court Rules-2017 but suggested that the cases should be classified properly.