CJ Rana forms a constitutional bench comprising senior judges in the roster

KATHMANDU: Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has formed a Constitutional Bench comprising the senior judges in the Supreme Court roster.

According to SC sources, the Bench is hearing on the writ petition filed against the citizenship ordinance is being heard in today’s session.

As an attempt to end the dispute relating to the justices formerly picked for the Constitutional Bench, Chief Justice Rana has formed a fresh Bench comprising the senior justice.

Along with Chief Justice Rana, Deepak Kumar Karki, Hari Kishna Karki, Mira Khadka and Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada are chosen for the bench.

Citing that senior judge Bishwambhar Shrestha, one of the senior five, is currently in isolation, Khatiwada the next senior in number has been picked to substitute him.

The advocates representing the writ petitioners in the case against the dissolution of the House of Representation had earlier raised concern over the nomination of some justices in the Bench claiming those justices had a conflict of interest in the case.

Justices Bam Kumar Shrestha and Tej Bahadur Karki allegedly having of conflict of interest in the HoR dissolution case had denied the allegation and had also denied vacating the bench despite the request.

Within the Supreme Court, judges and the Supreme Court Bar recommended the formation of benches on the basis of seniority.

The Chief Justice had promised to act on their suggestion. Therefore, today’s constitutional session is being watched with interest.

Today’s Constitutional Bench will hear six writ petitions of Advocate Borna Bahadur Karki, Ram Bahadur Shahi and others saying that the government has brought an ordinance on a sensitive issue related to citizenship and nationality.