Wednesday, July 05, 2006

CJ Preparing To Appoint 51 District Court Judges

The Judicial Council headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Dilip Kumar Paudel is making preparations to appoint 51 judges in several district courts after a few judicial staffers gave a week's ultimatum to the CJ to fill the vacant posts.

The CJ has called a meeting of the Judicial Council to discuss the appointments on Wednesday.
A few judicial officials met the CJ a few days ago and warned him that they would go on a strike if he did not call the council's meeting within a week.

A few government attorneys also met Paudel on Monday and urged him to appoint the judges in the district courts. Most of the judicial officials who met the CJ are eligible for the district judges' post.

A handful of Supreme Court judges, however, advised Paudel not to make the appointments at a time when the country is going to draft a new constitution.

"As there is a need to restructure the entire judiciary and that may be incorporated in the interim constitution, the CJ may not appoint the district judges for now," an SC judge said. The judge also said that there will be a confusion as to who will appoint the judges as the King's powers have been curtailed by the House of Representatives. The 1990 constitution allows the King to appoint the judges.

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