All five justices unqualified, says Bidari

KATHMANDU, April 19: Nepal Communist Party leader Ram Narayan Bidari has said that the five justices, who were approved by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, were not qualified enough for the job.

The PHC on Thursday unanimously okayed the names of Patan’s chief judge Prakash Dhungana; High Court, Surkhet’s chief judge Sushmalata Mathema; former Attorney General Hari Phuyal (among legal practitioners); senior advocate Kumar Regmi and advocate Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma (from Kathmandu) as the justices of the Supreme Court. The names were recommended by the Judicial Council in line with Article 129 of the Constitution of Nepal on April 2.

“All five of them are not eligible,” Bidari fumed taking to Rishi Dhamala in a popular television talk show Janata Janna Chahanchan.

Five complaints were registered against the proposed justices. Of them, two complaints were registered against Dhungana and one was registered against Phuyal. The three other complaints were related to the Constitutional Council’s procedure of nominating justices.

“Instead of investigating on the lodged complaints, the PSC approved names of the corrupt justices.”

The committee has done a big mistake,” he added.