Prez suggests CJ Karki not make it an ego issue

Published On: May 8, 2017 07:14 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, May 7: President Bidya Bhandari and Chief Justice Sushila Karki held an hour-long meeting on Sunday. The meeting comes after Karki resumed her office following the Supreme Court order to put the impeachment motion filed against her on hold.

According to sources privy to the meeting, President Bhandari extended wishes for the success of Karki’s tenure as chief justice and suggested not to take the impeachment motion as issue of ego or prestige.

Karki returned to the apex court on Sunday after being suspended for a week due to the impeachment motion against her in parliament. Hearing a writ petition on Friday, the apex court ordered parliament to put the impeachment motion on hold and allow Karki to resume her duties from the same day.

“Let’s not make this case as issue of ego or pride. As you will voluntarily retire from the post after a month it will be pleasant to focus on making the term a successful one,” a source at the president’s office quoted Bhandari as saying to CJ Karki.

However, according to Bhesraj Adhikari, personal secretary of President Bhandari, the two discussed current political issues. “Chief Justice handed over an invitation letter to President Bhandari for Law Day,” said Adhikari.

According to sources, Bhandari and Karki spent most of the time during the meeting discussing the impeachment motion .

Meanwhile, the leaders of the three major political parties discussed about not pressing the impeachment case further and seeking an amicable solution.

A meeting between top leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) and main opposition CPN-UML discussed about finding an amicable solution to the issue, said a source.

According to one party leader, UML Chairman K P Oli suggested to the leaders of the NC and Maoist Center to withdraw the impeachment motion. NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist Center Chairman and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that they will discuss the issue in their respective parties, it is stated.