KATHMANDU, May 26: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday told the Supreme Court (SC) that the writ petition filed against appointment of former chief secretary Lokman Singh Karki´s as the CIAA chief is intended to tarnish his personal life and social image.
In a written clarification sent to the apex court, the anti-graft body has urged SC to annul the writ petition terming it “baseless”. CIAA has also claimed that the petition has raised baseless questions over Karki´s competence. [break]
Similarly, the anti-graft body has maintained that the Constitutional Council´s recommendation to appoint Karki and the president´s approval are in line with the existing laws and the constitution.
A single bench of Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah on May 15 had issued a show cause notice against Karki´s appointment and had ordered the defendants to furnish clarification in writing within 15 days as to why Karki was appointed as the CIAA chief.
Meanwhile, a hearing on the writ petition scheduled for Sunday at the apex court has been deferred for June 4.
Advocate Om Prakash Aryal on May 12 had moved the apex court seeking SC order to the government to scrap its decision to appoint Karki as CIAA chief.
The petitioner has claimed that the appointment is “unconstitutional” and also against an earlier SC order. He has argued that Karki does not have the mandatory 20-year experience and is hence incompetent for the post.
Aryal has maintained that the CC recommendation is also against the 11-point agreement, which states that the Interim Election Council, which has been formed only to hold fresh polls, will not take any decision having long-term impact.
The writ petitioner has also urged SC to issue an order prohibiting individuals involved in suppressing mass movement or human rights violations from occupying public office.
Amid strong objections from various quarters, President Ram Baran Yadav on May 9 had appointed Karki as the CIAA chief on the recommendation of CC.
The president´s office, Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi, CC, CIAA and Karki have been made defendants in the writ petition.
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