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House panel undecided over Giri’s nomination; asks CC to take its decision

The Parliamentary Special Hearing Committee today failed to reach consensus on the nomination of Kedar Prasad Giri as the chief justice owing to differences within it.

The special committee grilled the CJ-designate for several hours in the afternoon regarding the complaints registered against his nomination, but the members remained divided over the nomination. Members from the left parties opposed his nomination while others including committee’s coordinator Amod Prasad Upadhyaya argued that the committee should approve his name.

The committee later decided to ask the Constitutional Council to take a decision on CJ appointment. The Council had named him as the new CJ on August 30.

Earlier, answering the questions from committee members, Giri denied allegations of breach of professional ethnics while delivering a controversial verdict on Mahalaxmi Sugar Mill case. He also claimed that all 16 complaints filed against him were baseless.

The CJ-designate, however, acknowledged corruption in the courts of law and promised to fight it during his tenure.

As the most senior judge in the apex court, Giri is currently working as the acting Chief Justice. Former Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel had retired on Sept 7.

The interim constitution has provision for parliamentary hearing on the appointment of the CJ, Supreme Court judges, ambassadors and chiefs and the members of constitutional bodies. nepalnews.com mk Sep 11 07