Tuesday, May 09, 2006


CJ permiss NBA to demand the resignation of Ojha

Chief Justice (CJ) Dilip Kumar Paudel told lawyers of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) that he will demand the resignation of ad hoc judge Pawan Kumar Ojha.

“The Chief Justice told us that he will demand Ojha’s resignation as he has felt the need to reconsider the manner in which Ojha was appointed,” SCBA president Dhruba Nath Pant told journalists after a meeting called by the Supreme Court. The meeting was called to urge lawyers to persuade politicians not to initiate an impeachment motion against the CJ.

The CJ called the emergency meeting a day after Members of Parliament (MPs) demanded the CJ, Ojha and appellate court judge Shambhu Bahadur Khadka either resign or face impeachment. The MPs have labelled them as ‘incompetent’ and ‘agents of regression.’ The CJ talked about Ojha’s appointment and his possible resignation after a brief meeting with senior judges Kedar Prasad Giri and Min Bahadur Rayamajhi. The two judges are ex-officio members of the CJ-led Judicial Council that appointed Ojha.The CJ held the consultations with the lawyers at his chamber. The meeting was attended by justices Giri, Rayamajhi, Ram Nagina Singh, Anup Raj Sharma, Khil Raj Regmi, Sharada Shrestha and Bal Ram KC.

While NBA president Shambhu Thapa, vice-president Sher Bahadur KC, general secretary Madhav Banskota, treasurer Bijaya Kanta Mainali and members Kedar Karki, Nagendra Rai, Lilamani Paudel and Bhim Dhakal represented the lawyers’ umbrella body, SCBA president Dhruba Nath Panta and General Secretary Indra Lohani represented their association.

The judges also called upon the lawyers’ bodies to reconsider their decision to boycott all programmes attended by the CJ, including the Law Day programme that will be organised on tuesday and the golden jubilee celebrations.

Following the CJ’s assurance of Ojha’s resignation, the NBA later decided to take part in the Law Day programme to be organised by the SC. The SCBA, however, said its members would not take part in the programme.
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