After a weeks-long protest of the law practitioners demanding the resignation of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana, the CJ finally called the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and Supreme Court Bar Association for dialogue.
Issuing a press statement on Monday, CJ Rana said, “NBA, Supreme Court Bar Association, and bar units across the nation are an inseparable part of the judiciary. Thus, as holding a dialogue is the only way to resolve the ongoing issues, I call the bar representatives for a dialogue.”
“People’s trust and confidence is the biggest strength of judiciary. But the crisis facing the judiciary today has put the public confidence at stake,” said CJ Rana in his statement. “Thus, it is the responsibility of both, bar and bench, to resolve the ongoing issue and protect the dignity of the judiciary.”
CJ Rana also reminded that he was ready to implement the report submitted by Justice Hari Krishna Karki and all other reports in order to ensure judicial reforms.
The CJ also expressed his serious concern over the ongoing protest of the law practitioners. He said that the law practitioners were making false, misleading, and baseless allegations on the supreme judicial office of the nation.
The Supreme Court (SC) stands as a sacred and final institution for the public to get justice and there is no other institution above the SC. “It must be understood that continuously assaulting the judiciary would cause damage to all of us including the other organs of the state,” read the statement.
Meanwhile, the NBA refused to sit for dialogue with CJ Rana. Chandeshwor Shrestha, Chairman of the NBA, said that there was no point in holding talks with the CJ.
“We are steadfast with our demands of CJ Rana’s resignation and are not ready to hold dialogue with him,” said Shrestha, adding that the CJ should immediately resolve the issue by resigning from his position.
The agitating lawyers continued their sit-in on the Supreme Court premises on Monday as well while CJ Rana assigned hearings on all types of cases, including the habeas corpus ones.
Due to the ongoing crisis in the judiciary, the SC has not been able to hear the cases since October 25.
Source : TRN,
