SC advises for scrapping King’s role in appointing Justices

Supreme Court Justices including Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel have advised the Interim Constitution Drafting Committee to formally strip all powers of the King to appoint Justices in the interim constitution that is being drafted now.

As per the 1990 constitution, the King appoints Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme Court upon the recommendation of the Judicial Council.

After holding meeting with the Justices of the Supreme Court, coordinator of the committee Laxman Prasad Aryal said, “Now the power to appoint judges is no more with the King,” adding, “We will make a fresh provision according to which the Prime Minister will appoint the Chief Justice on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council that will be chaired by Prime Minister, and the Chief Justice will appoint judges of the SC and lower courts on the recommendation of Judicial Council that will be chaired by the Chief Justice.”

The judges and the statute drafting panel members agreed to form a separate constitutional court to settle constitutional issues relating to an election to a constituent assembly.

The panel and SC justices agreed to supersede jurisdiction of the military court verdicts by the SC and an army official would be tried at a civilian court on any criminal offence.

The Justices also urged the committee to broaden the jurisdiction of the Appellate Courts