RUKUM, Jan 13: Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli, whose credentials have been questioned, has claimed that he is eligible to lead the judiciary.
Inaugurating Rukum (East) District Court Friday, CJ Parajauli said he doesn't need to show his credentials to anyone, anywhere as he had already submitted all the required documents to the Parliamentary Hearings Special Committee (PHSC) during his hearing for chief justice.
“It is not necessary to display my documents out in the road because I have already submitted all the credentials to the authorities concerned,” he said.
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He said that he would not allow any forces to weaken the credibility of the judiciary even though some forces have been trying to do so.
CJ Parajuli was widely criticized after the Supreme Court earlier this week ordered arrest of Dr Govinda KC, crusador for medical education reforms, on the charge of contempt of court.
NBA urges KC to end his hunger strike
The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) has urged Dr Govinda KC, who is on a fast-unto-death demanding resignation of Chief Justice Parajuli, to end his hunger strike. NBA said such demand could infringe upon the judicial independence and erode public trust in the courts.
Issuing a press statement Friday, the NBA has drawn attention of those concerned over the consequences of the activities that undermine the competent, independent and accountable image of judiciary and erode public trust towards it. The umbrella organization of lawyers across the country has also expressed concerns over the tendency of making personal allegations against justices and demand resignation of chief justice if decision was not in their favor.
The NBA has also reminded that there is a provision to make complaint at the Judicial Council if there is any against any individual justice. While urging all those concerned to follow the same process for complaints, the lawyers' body has termed Dr KC's hunger strike seeking CJ's resignation as “indecent”.
The NBA has also welcomed SC's decision to release Dr KC.
A division bench of justices Purushottam Bhandari and Bam Kumar Shrestha on Wednesday had handed down the order to release Dr KC on tarekh. He was arrested Monday on a charge of contempt of court for his allegations against Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli. As per the SC's verdict, he will be required to reappear in court on February 20.
The bench also had directed that both the citizenship certificates obtained by Chief Justice Parajuli from Kathmandu District Administration Office be produced, as also the decision of the Judicial Council in relation to Parajuli's age. Dr KC, while recording his statement to the apex court, had asked for an inquiry into Parajuli's citizenship certificates and alleged that he had changed his age with an intention to stay longer in the post of CJ.
