The Supreme Court has decided to refer the writ petition against the motion to impeach then Chief Justice Sushila Karki to a constitutional bench for hearing.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli and Justice Prakashman Singh Raut on Thursday decided to forward the case to the Constitutional bench citing the need for constitutional interpretation on the case, SC spokesperson Mahendra Nath Upadhyay said.

Similarly, the Supreme Court has also ordered to take out a file related to withdrawing impeachment motion from the Parliament.

Lawyer Sunil Ranjan Singh had filed a writ petition at the apex court On May 2, two days after 249 lawmakers from the Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) registered a motion to impeach then Chief Justice Karki.

As many as 249 lawmakers from the ruling parties had registered the impeachment motion against CJ Karki on April 30, accusing her of interferring with the power of executive, inefficiency in executing her work, biased decision and flourishing the culture of groupism in the judiciary.

Five days after the registration of the motion, the Supreme Court on May 5, however, had stayed the impeachment motion, asking the Legislature-Parliament not to move it forward and allowing Karki to return to office.

The impeachment motion against CJ Karki was officially withdrawn from Parliament on June 6, a day before her official retirement.

Karki assumed office on July 11 last year as the first female chief justice of the country.