Verdict on dispute over appointment of 80 judges on Feb 15

KATHMANDU, Jan 25: The Supreme Court is to deliver its verdict on the case over appointment of 80 judges in the high court on February 15.

The SC decided this with the completion of the hearing under the bench comprising Judge Om Prakash Mishra, Bam Kumar Shrestha and Dambar Bahadur Shahi on Thursday.

Last January, Deputy Attorney General Durgabandhu Pokhrel, advocate Dilhari Sharma, Prakash Kumar Kafle, Surendra Prasad Yadav, and Toyanath Dhungana had filed a writ petition at SC arguing that 80 judges were appointed without following due process but under the influence of party interest.

The names of the judges were recommended by the Judicial Council meeting in the absence of two members- Baidyanath Upadhyay and Ram Prasad Sitaula. The meeting was attended only by Chair and Chief Justice Sushila Karki, then Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Shankar Nayak and Council member Padam Prasad Baidik.