The Bibeksheel Sajha Party has said that its attention has been drawn towards a show cause notice and an interim order issued in the name of Kantipur Publication and Press Council by the bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Gopal Prasad Parajuli.

In a statement on Tuesday, the party has protested against the CJ Parajuli’s move to impose a censorship to cover up the questions raised against his competence.

“We feel that the orders are motivated with the intention to restrict the press freedom in order to protect himself [CJ Parajuli]. We have reservations over the same,” read a statement issued party spokesperson Surya Raj Acharya on Tuesday.

“The esteem and dignity of court, among other government bodies, can’t be saved or maintained by imposing censorship on press,”

Similarly, the CJ’s move to announce decision from his own bench on a case in which he himself is a party has raised a serious question as to how it is in line with the spirit of judicial principle.

Saying that judicial impartiality and press freedom are the indispensable prerequisite in a democratic system, the party said it will stand in favour of the same.

Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli on Sunday issued an interim order directing the Press Council to probe news reports published by Kantipur daily that highlighted inconsistencies in his birth date mentioned by him in official documents.