Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana is facing crisis with 18 of 19 fellow justices at the Supreme Court (SC) taking a stand demanding his resignation.
Seven justices had initiated discussion on Friday to form a position on CJ Rana and other justices gradually joined in later. Fourteen justices discussed the issue on Sunday and decided to boycott the full court called by CJ Rana for Monday.
The 14 justices included Deepak Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, Hari Krishna Karki, Bishwambhar Shrestha, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai, Prakash Singh Raut, Bam Kumar Shrestha, Tanka Bahadur Moktan, Prakash Kumar Dhungana, Sushma Lata Mathema, Hari Phuyal, Kumar Regmi, Manoj Kumar Sharma and Nahakul Subedi.
There are currently 20 justices including CJ Rana at the SC. Five justices were on leave Sunday. Ishwore Prasad Khatiwada is currently in America while Sapana Pradhan Malla, Anil Kumar Sinha, Tej Bahadur KC and Kumar Chudal were absent that day.
Chudal returned to duty by Tuesday and joined the rebellion by the 14 justices while Khatiwada, and Malla and Sinha—who are currently out of the Kathmandu Valley—sent an email to express support in the crusade, according to a justice.
KC is the only SC justice not to stand against CJ Rana now.
Fifteen justices had gone to CJ Rana on Tuesday and asked him to provide a way out. They had claimed that the other three justices are also supporting them. Speaking on behalf of the 17 justices Ananda Mohan Bhattarai told CJ Rana that they cannot accept his leadership as he has transacted with the executive for political deals and has displayed judicial deviation.
There has been no hearing at the SC for the past two days with the justices insisting that CJ Rana should provide a way out. But CJ Rana has refused to resign and told the justices that he will not resign when someone seeks his resignation from the streets.
CJ Rana has picked 11 benches including himself and other justices on Wednesday but the other justices look set to boycott hearing even today.
