AG's new strategy to strengthen govt cases

Kathmandu, March 22- Now on, no government authority will execute any work related to any court of law without the consent of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). The recently prepared strategy to defend government authorities is expected to make their cases stronger.“Now on, no government authority can submit any reply in court without consulting us,” Attorney General Laxmi Bahadur Nirala told the himalaya times reports.

Previously these authorities used to submit their clarifications in courts and ask OAG lawyers to defend the cases.

“The government authorities were working in a wrong manner,” Nirala said, adding: “Now consultation with the OAG will be compulsory before they submit replies to any court of law.”

Nirala said he has discussed the matter with ministers and secretaries and the government authorities concerned have agreed to strictly implement the new strategy.

“Any reply by any government authority to any court of law would be forwarded only after the consent of government lawyers,” he said.Nirala said this was the first time the OAG had devised such a strategy to strengthen the government’s cases in the courts. Currently, the government is “losing about 80 per cent of the cases.” “This happens because we cannot defend the government properly,” he said.

“We are the defenders of the government in the court and why should any reply on behalf of the government to any court not be furnished as per our wish,” he added.

“We want this arrangement to be strictly followed because we are the final authority to decide whether or not to prosecute any case and how to defend the government,” he added.

“If a client can immediately consult a lawyer after a case is filed against him, why can’t we, as the consulting lawyers of the government, get the information regarding any complaint filed against any government authority at any court?” Nirala asked.

He also urged the government to promulgate a separate Act to make the government lawyers’ service more effective and different from other civil servants.

“The service condition should be separated from the government service and government attorneys should be provided with more incentives,” Nirala added. “I have already held discussions with government authorities regarding promulgation of a law in this regard and also talked with the chairman and members of the Public Service Commission in this regard,” he added.