KATHMANDU, March 14: Terming the 11-point deal between the major political parties “unconstitutional”, Nepal Bar Association (NBA), an umbrella organization of lawyers across the country, has said Chief Justice (CJ) Khil Raj Regmi led election government is “unacceptable”.
An emergency meeting of NBA held in the capital on Thursday decried the “entire processes” of forming the election government led by the sitting chief justice. [break]
“We not only condemn the formation of a CJ-led government, we also reject it,” said NBA General Secretary Sunil Pokhrel. NBA has called an extended meeting on Friday to discuss the modality of protest against the move.
According to Pokhrel, besides sitting office bearers, NBA former presidents, vice-presidents, general secretaries, treasurers, presidents of Kathmandu Valley Unit of NBA and available senior advocates will attend the meeting.
Accusing Regmi of bringing disrepute to the institution of judiciary by influencing a sub-judice case, NBA has also asked him to immediately resign as the chief justice.
In its strong worded press statement issued after the meeting, NBA has declared Thursday as a “black day” in the history of judiciary in Nepal.
NBA said it did not expect the Regmi to uphold the constitution as he has already broken the oath taken as the chief justice.
NBA has also expressed displeasure with the president for not consulting stakeholders to stop the “unconstitutional” move of the political parties.
Concluding that the latest attack on judiciary may undermine the independence of the judiciary, the NBA meeting decided to inform foreign bar associations, among other international organizations, of the development and to ask for necessary support to safeguard judiciary.
NBA has also appealed to all the lawyers, professional organizations, media organizations and public to condemn and protest the deal between the major political parties, stating that the “so-called” amendment to a dozens of articles of the interim constitution has made mockery of the fundamental principles of constitutionalism, separation of powers, constitutional supremacy, independence of judiciary, multi-party system and democracy.
Meanwhile, officiating Chief Justice Damodar Sharma on Thursday said that the apex court is not shaken by the latest development. “The SC will remain committed to its duty,” he maintained at a meeting with media persons.
Asked about his future strategy, Sharma said SC will focus on swift delivery of justice. Sharma, who holds an LLM degree, had joined judicial service in 1974.
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