The Nepali Congress (NC) on Monday defended the impeachment motion against the chief justice, saying that the move “is aimed at keeping the judiciary independent, impartial and dignified”.

As many as 249 lawmakers from the NC and its coalition partner CPN (Maoist Centre) on Sunday filed an impeachment motion against Sushila Karki at the Parliament Secretariat.

Speaking at a press meet organised by the election publicity sub-committee of the NC at the party headquarters in Sanepa, Lalitpur on Monday, NC General Secretary Shashank Koirala said the NC “is always in favour of an independent and fair judiciary” and that Karki must face impeachment “to safeguard the prestige, dignity and image of the judiciary”.

The two coalition partners have levelled nine charges against Karki while filing the impeachment motion. She has been accused of interfering in executive’s decision making and factionalism in judiciary.

NC leader Ramesh Lekhak, also the minister for physical infrastructure and transport, also claimed that the impeachment motion was registered against Karki “to safeguard the principle of separation of powers”. “The judiciary was infringing upon the executive’s jurisdiction, hence the impeachment motion was brought against the chief justice,” he said.

As the immediate fallout of the impeachment motion against Karki, NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi later on Sunday stepped down as the deputy prime minister and minister for home affairs.

Asked about Nidhi’s replacement, Koirala said the matter “will be finalised by a meeting of the top leadership”.