KATHMANDU, Feb 20: Supreme Court seniormost justice Deepak Raj Joshee on Tuesday resigned citing poor work environment at the apex court and the Judicial Council.

In August last year, Joshee was rejected for chief justice by the parliamentary hearing committee (PHC) following controversy over his academic credentials and his ability to lead.

After Cholendra SJB Rana became chief justice in January, he had suggested to Joshee to resign and stopped assigning cases to Joshee, rendering him jobless.

His judgments in some of the high-profile cases including his single-bench decision to allow businessman Ajeya Sumargi to withdraw funds frozen by the Nepal Rastra Bank and the decision to allow Chaudhary Group's telecommunication firm to operate mobile phone services drew huge controversy. The court later revoked the two judgments.

Following Joshee's resignation, the number of vacant justice positions at the Supreme Court has reached five.It might be a mere coincidence but Joshee's resignation comes on the same day when the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) launched an investigation into its corruption-accused commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak.

A family source said that Joshee decided to resign due to lack of work environment at the apex court. "He resigned because there was no favorable environment," the family source said.

The Office of the President on Tuesday informed the media about Joshee's resignation. Joshee has resigned from his position as per Article 131 (A) of the Constitution to be effective from Tuesday, said according to a press statement issued by Chhabindra Parajuli, spokesman at the Office of the President.

In August last year, after the PHC rejected Joshee and appointed Om Prakash Mishra as chief justice, Joshee continued to work as justice. However, his judgments in some of the high-profile cases including his single-bench decision to allow businessman Ajeya Sumargi to withdraw funds frozen by the Nepal Rastra Bank and the decision to allow Chaudhary Group's telecommunication firm to operate mobile phone services drew huge controversy.

The single bench orders issued by Joshee were later revoked by the apex court.

 
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