Nepal Bar Association has demanded that Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi relinquish his judicial powers at the earliest.
As the Chief Justice has publicly expressed willingness to lead the new transitional government, it would be against established norms for CJ Regmi to continue to play a role in the judiciary, said the bar after an emergency meeting of office bearers, in the Capital.
It also reiterated its stance that the Chief Justice should not lead the new government to be formed to hold new Constituent Assembly elections.
"The post of Chief Justice is not comparable to any civil or military position. As per the Interim Constitution, judges cannot be assigned any other work, except those related to legal research. Even if judges are assigned other work, it is beyond our imagination that they be allowed to return to the court and work as judges again," said NBA in a statement.
The association has called on all political parties and the Supreme Court to drop the unconstitutional proposal to form a government under the sitting CJ.
The statement has questioned the validity of a statement issued by an SC spokesperson yesterday stating that the CJ was open to the idea of leading the government. "A full-bench meeting of the apex court needs to make its view on the statement public, at the earliest."
Bar executives have urged SC justices to be aware of the long-term consequences of accepting the four-party proposal, and its potential to politicise the judiciary.
