KATHMANDU: Justice Nirmala Shakya of the Birgunj bench of the Janakpur High Court and Justice Deepak Khanal of the Parsa District Court have been recognized as the best judges of the year by the Judicial Council.
At an event held in Ramshahpath on Wednesday to mark the 34th anniversary of the Judicial Council, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut felicitated both judges with ceremonial shawls and cash prizes.
The Judicial Council stated that the judges were honored based on their exemplary performance this year.
Justice Shakya serves at the temporary bench of the Birgunj High Court, while Justice Khanal is stationed at the Parsa District Court.
Interestingly, Law Minister Ajay Kumar Chaurasia, a Judicial Council member and a parliamentarian from Parsa, remarked that the selection of judges from Parsa was merely a coincidence.
“I was unaware of this until the secretary presented the proposal during the council meeting. We even had a light laugh about it,” Chaurasia said.
Senior Supreme Court Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, also a council member, emphasized that the selection process was transparent.
“We considered not only the quantity of decisions but also their quality. Judges’ conduct and gender balance were also taken into account,” she explained.
Although gender balance was a factor in the selection process, participants at the event informally commented that regional balance had not been considered. However, Minister Chaurasia reiterated that the choice was coincidental.
Chief Justice Raut highlighted that the awards reflect situational relativity rather than absolute rankings, saying, “All judges are excellent. The recognition is based on the context and dedication shown during the period.”
According to council officials, no complaints have been filed regarding the conduct or competence of Shakya and Khanal. Their dedication and ethical work led to their selection as the best judges this year.
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