Impeachment motion to protect dignity of independent judiciary: NC

KATHMANDU, May 1: The Nepali Congress has said that the impeachment motion was brought against Chief Justice (presently suspended) Sushila Karki to maintain the prestige of an independent and impartial judiciary.

At a press meet organised by the NC publicity coordination subcommittee at the party central office today, party leaders accused the Supreme Court (SC) of giving intentional verdicts going against the principle of independent judiciary and interfering in the government’s executive rights.

Speaking on the occasion, party General Secretary Dr Shashank Koirala said the NC was always in favour of an independent and fair judiciary and the CJ had to be impeached just to safeguard the prestige, dignity and image of the judiciary.

In response to journalists’ query as to who the party was sending to the post of Home Minister now lying vacant with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi resigning from the post, General Secretary Koirala said the matter would be finalised by a meeting of party top leaders.

Party former General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula claimed that there would be no impact on the election of a first round scheduled for upcoming May 14 if the constitution amendment proposal remained unendorsed till then. Efforts would be continued to pass the amendment bill. On the occasion, he took time to share that party’s preparations for the upcoming local-level election have neared the final phase.

Also speaking on the occasion, Sub Committee coordinator and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak claimed that the party was in favour of free, independent and efficient judiciary, and the impeachment motion against the CJ was to keep the image and prestige of the apex court intact.

It is noted that a total of 249 lawmakers from major ruling partners NC and CPN (Maoist Centre) Sunday registered a motion of impeachment against Karki at the Legislature-Parliament Secretariat. Dissatisfied with the move to impeach Karki, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Nidhi who was heading the party in the coalition government resigned from the post same day.

NC to choose candidates for poll by today
Nepali Congress (NC) has said that it will decide on the candidates to contest in the first phase of local level election by today itself.

The government has made decision to hold first phase of election in Province No 3, 4 and 6 on May 14 and the second phase in Province No 1, 2, 5 and 7 on June 14.

The meeting of the NC’s meeting of the office-bearers and former office-bearer is underway to determine the candidates for the same.

The Election Commission of Nepal is to make public the list of the nomination of the candidates on May 2. NC party office Secretary Dr Pradeep Parajuli has said that NC would decide on the candidates by tonight.

The NC earlier had entitled the party’s mechanism in district for choosing the candidates for municipality, sub-municipality and rular municipality while the NC’s central level mechanism would decide on the for the metropolitan cities and sub-metropolitan cities.

But since dispute ensued for the candidate selection for some local units in Province No 3 and 4, NC ‘s central level mechanism has taken the matters into its hand.

NC has already dispatched its manifesto to all level and formed election mobilization committee and publicity committee too. RSS