KATHMANDU: Nepal Bar Association Chairman Chandeshwor Shrestha has said the association will not accept Cholendra Shumsher Rana as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Speaking at a corner meeting organized following the sit-in program today, Shrestha said so demanding Rana’s resignation. “Nepal Bar will not accept Rana as the Chief Justice from now onwards,” said Shrestha.

He further warned that they might resort to the closure of all the courts across the country if Rana does not step down.

Despite agitations, Chief Justice Rana has assigned hearings to all types of cases including the habeas corpus cases today.

Out of the eight benches assigned for the hearing, seven are division benches and one is a single bench. Although the hearing has been designated, the hearings have not yet started.

The Supreme Court judges have been refusing to conduct the hearing since October 24, calling for Chief Justice JBR’s resignation after allegations that he sought a share in the expansion of the Council of Ministers and this has raised a question on the dignity of the judiciary.

Hearing into cases has not taken place in the Supreme Court from October 25 onwards. Hearing has been held only on cases related to habeas corpus in between.