KATHMANDU: Supreme Court judges will not attend the Full Court meeting convened by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, indicating that they would not accept CJ Rana anymore.
CJ Rana had called a full court meeting for Monday after holding discussion with representatives of Nepal Bar Association earlier today.
Supreme Court judges sat for discussions after CJ Rana called the full court meeting earlier in the day. Following discussions, the judges decided not to participate in the full court meeting.
The 14 Judges participating in the meeting were Deepak Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, Hari Krishna Karki, Vishwambhar Prasad Shrestha, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai, Prakash Man Singh Raut, Bam Kumar Shrestha, Tanka Bahadur Moktan, Prakash Kumar Dhungana, Sushmalatha Mathema, Kumar Regmi, Hariprasad Phuyal, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Nahkul Subedi.
Judges Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, Anil Kumar Sinha, Sapna Pradhan Malla, Tej Bahadur KC and Kumar Chudal could not attend the meeting due to various reasons but have extended their support to the majority.
The discussions centered around the scenario in which Chief Justice Rana assigns cases to the judges from Monday. The judges also concluded that they would proceed in consultation with Deepak Karki, the second-highest-ranking judge after CJ Rana, from Monday. As many as 11 most senior judges will be sitting in the Karki’s chamber.
Talking to Khabarhub, one of the judges attending the meeting said, “Most of the judges are of the view that there is no point in attending the meeting called by the Chief Justice who has lost his morale.” SC judges determined CJ Rana to be working against judicial conduct.
Judges also said CJ Rana’s resignation should pave the way for judicial integrity. The judges have also decided to convene a meeting at the Supreme Court at 11 am to decide on the future course of action.
CJ Rana, who had the support of three judges till this morning, has been abandoned by all the judges by the evening.
Judges Kumar Regmi, Hari Phuyal and Nahakul Subedi, who were taking the middle ground, also participated in meeting and expressed solidarity with Senior Judge Deepak Kumar Karki, saying that they would not attend the meeting convened by CJ Rana tomorrow.
CJ Rana’s ultimate supporters judges Manoj Sharma and Bam Kumar Shrestha have also deserted him.
Chief Justice Rana has been dragged into controversy after he allegedly sought a ministerial portfolio in the cabinet. He is under a lot of pressure to put in papers.
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