“Regmi is one of the persons responsible for the breach of law and the constitution. That´s why we boycotted the program as a symbolic protest,” NBA General Secretary Sunil Pokhrel told Republica.[break]
NBA officials maintained that there is no relevance of marking the law day when there is no adherence to laws.
When asked about the absence of NBA officials at the program, Officiating Chief Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma declined to comment. “There is nothing to speak about,” he told media persons, adding, “Please ask other participants about the program.”
Constitutional expert Bhimarjun Acharya warned that the bitterness between NBA and the chief justice may have negative repercussions for the country. “If this situation prevails justice delivery will be affected,” said Acharya, adding, “This would also further weaken the judiciary.”
NBA has been maintaining that Regmi cannot hold both the posts as the chairman of the Interim Election Council and the chief justice, arguing this is against the judicial norms and the principles of separation of powers and constitutional checks and balances.
Similarly, NBA also has reservations over the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, which is also led by Regmi, to appoint former chief secretary Lokman Singh Karki as the chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
The function was attended by President Ram Baran Yadav, Vice-president Paramanand Jha, Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety, members of the Judicial Council, among others. CIAA chief Karki did not attend the function.
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