KATHMANDU, Nov 29: Politicians representing the ruling and opposition parties have given mixed reaction to the Judicial Council’s recommendation for the next chief justice.
On Tuesday, the council had recommended seniormost justice Deepak Raj Joshee, who was previously rejected by a parliamentary committee for chief justice, and justice Cholendra SJB Rana, for appointment as the next chief justice.
While the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has vowed to bork Joshee, the main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), has maintained that Joshee should be allowed to head the Supreme Court as the decision of the JC to recommend him for the top post proves that the previous move by the Parliamentary Hearings Committee (PHC) to reject him was wrong.
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The process of picking a new justice has begun as Chief Justice Mishra is retiring on December 31.
Expressing their displeasure over JC’s recommendation of justice Joshee again, ruling NCP leaders said the Constitutional Council and the PHC are expected to take a mature decision while picking the successor to Chief Justice Mishra.
“We expect the Constitutional Council to take a mature decision in this regard,” Yogesh Bhattarai, PHC member representing NCP told Republica on Wednesday. Bhattarai opposed the Judicial Council’s decision to forward the names of Joshee and Rana for the top judiciary post.
“The CC is headed by Prime Minister KP Oli and there are several other prestigious members on the committee and we hope they will take a mature decision upholding parliamentary supremacy,” Bhattarai said adding, “We are confident that the CC would take decision by analyzing all aspects.”
On August 3, the PHC had rejected seniormost justice Joshee for appointment as chief justice after a controversy over his academic credentials. The PHC also said Joshee lacked clear action plan.
Nepali Congress leader on the PHC, Pushpa Bhushal, however, said the PHC’s previous rejection of Joshee for chief justice has been proven wrong since the JC has again forwarded his name for the top post.
