KATHMANDU: Senior Advocate and former President of Nepal Bar Association Shambhu Thapa scoffed at PM KP Oli, the then Chairman of Constituent Assembly Subas Nembang, and Attorney General Agni Kharel’s interpretation about the House dissolution saying they must have got another constitution.
Thapa was taking part in Monday’s hearing on the writ petitions filed against the dissolution of the House of Representatives (HoR).
“I have not said anything new, the advocates who spoke formerly have said most of the things and you have been asking questions consulting the constitution,” Senior Advocate Thapa said adding scornfully, “But, the Prime Minister, Constituent Assembly Chairman, and the Attorney General seem to have a different constitution, otherwise, they cannot justify the dissolution of the HoR.”
Thapa shed light on the various provisions on which the Prime Minister could dissolve the HoR and added that PM’s current move can hardly be deemed justifiable.
Earlier advocate Meghraj Pokharel, who participated in the debate, argued that the PM has dissolved the HoR going beyond the spirit and the provisions of the constitution.
More than 300 lawyers have filed their names for advocacy in the writs filed against the dissolution of the HoR.
Considering the larger number of advocates, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has set the time limit of 30 minutes for each advocate.
A Constitutional Bench led by CJ Rana and consisting of Justices Bishwombhar Prasad Shrestha, Anil Kumar Sinha, Sapana Pradhan Malla, and Tej Bahadur KC as members, is hearing on 13 writ petitions.
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