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Chief Justice Rana strips Supreme Court senior-most justice Joshee of major duties
A day after taking charge of the judiciary, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has started stripping Deepak Raj Joshee, senior-most justice at the Supreme Court, of his responsibilities. Rana on Thursday removed Joshee as a member of the Constitutional Bench and chairperson of the Reconciliation Council of the apex court.Tika R Pradhan
A day after taking charge of the judiciary, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has started stripping Deepak Raj Joshee, senior-most justice at the Supreme Court, of his responsibilities. Rana on Thursday removed Joshee as a member of the Constitutional Bench and chairperson of the Reconciliation Council of the apex court.
While assuming office on Wednesday, Rana had vowed not to assign a bench to Joshee.
Even as the Parliamentary Hearing Committee rejected Joshee for the top SC job on August 3 with a two-thirds majority, he has been doing his regular duties since October. Law minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal has refused to attend the JC’s meeting citing Joshee’s presence in it.
A meeting of the Judicial Council chaired by Rana decided to induct Justices Meera Khadka and Hari Krishna Karki to the constitutional bench while Justice Ishwor Khatiwada will chair the Reconciliation Council. JC Spokesperson Rameshwor Regmi confirmed the decisions.
Rana has also removed Joshee from Number 1 chamber at the court, which is meant for the senior most justice, and placed Justice Deepak Karki there, who is junior to Joshee.
However, Joshee will remain on the Judicial Council since the senior most justice is its ex-officio member.
Issuing a statement, the JC said the chief justice has started action to stop the malpractices in courts.
A committee was formed to monitor and keep vigil, and to probe complaints. The committee started work with the monitoring of the Lalitpur District Court on Thursday.
The initiative was led by Judicial Council Secretary Nripa Dhwaj Niraula. Monitoring in future could also be clandestine, according to the statement.
The council, chaired by the chief justice, also decided to depute the Surkhet High Court chief judge to stop malpractices at the Janakpur High Court.
The first meeting of the council on Wednesday recommended Justice Sushma Lata Mathema, who is currently serving in the Hetauda bench of the Patan High Court, as a chief judge of a High Court.