Kathmandu, June 29: The Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) on Monday has unanimously endorsed Kalyan Shrestha as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
A meeting of the Constitutional Council on June 9 had recommended senior most justice Shrestha to the post of Chief Justice.
PHSC President Kul Bahadur Gurung announced the unanimous endorsement of Shrestha as Chief Justice with no lawmakers opposing the motion.
In course of the hearing, chief justice designate Shrestha said he would make all-out efforts to make the judiciary effective and efficient. “I would not leave the judiciary dull during my tenure. I would perform to elevate its image,” he added.
Asking a question as to how would the court, as a judiciary body, dispense effective and prompt justice with mere allocation of 0.5 per cent budget from the government, he noted, “The court should be people-friendly. The old legal provisions are controversial and the criminal and civil codes are under amendment.”
Shrestha further said, “Judiciary system works with the government-allocated budget. Judiciary does not want to do politics but political affairs enter while dispensing judicial works”.
Making clear that the court is not corrupt and thinking the court from that perspective is wrong, he said, “I do not say – forgive the wrong-doer justices involved in corruption. But the court will not be corrupt and even if it so happens there is no option of overhaul.”
On allegation to the court’s proactive ruling against the recent 16-point agreement signed by the political parties, Shrestha added, “Even the new constitution could be framed whereas it was merely an interim order on the 16-point pact. It is not the final verdict.”
He called for not to ink the constitution reflecting partisan colour. “Write justice dispensing constitution,” he suggested.
Shrestha will succeed Chief Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Saha who is retiring on coming July 8. RSS
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