SC ruling on media ordinance criticized

Kathmandu, Nov 13 - Representatives of professional organizations charged that the Chief Justice and the justices, involved in dealing with the writs against media ordinance and government's attack on Kantipur FM, could not protect the image of the independent judiciary.

Speaking at the Reporters' Club Nepal, Saturday, they claimed that the order passed by the Special Bench of Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel and justices Kedar Prasad Giri and Sarada Prasad Pandit, assisted the government's campaign to curb the constitutionally granted fundamental rights.

Nepal Bar Association (NBA) President Shambhu Thapa said, "The Chief Justice and the senior most justice didn't speak out even when Constitution was in peril."

"What can we expect when apex court justices assist the government's campaign to eliminate fundamental rights of the sovereign people," he added.

He also claimed that the NBA's decision to boycott courts for one day was not a disrespect to the independent judiciary. "It is a protest to the Chief Justice and the senior most justices who ignored the people's fundamental right to information," he said.

He also strongly charged that the lawyers had in fact not gone to perform a drama at the bench.
He said that lawyers had already hinted the bench that the rejection to the interim order would force them to oppose the decision.

Bishnu Nisthuri, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), said that the journalists never disrespect the Supreme Court.

"Our campaign is to establish the rule of law and our concern is that some people in the apex court are deteriorating the independent status of the judiciary," he said

Similarly, Raghu Mainali, president of Save the Independent Radio Movement (SIRM), said that the government was trying to make the independent media a submissive one.