Nepal Bar Association (NBA) Chairman Chandeshwore Shrestha has responded to Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana's invitation for dialogue saying there can be no dialogue with him.
CJ Rana on Monday invited the NBA, that has been demonstrating daily to stop him from entering the Supreme Court (SC) premises, for dialogue and pledged to initiate reform of the judiciary.
"There can now be no dialogue with you, Cholendra Shumsher. You should resign and not hold dialogue. We will then hold discussion with all the stakeholders to implement the report of Justice Hari Krishna Karki," Shrestha said replying to CJ Rana's statement while addressing the sit-in at the SC premises on Monday.
"There seems to be a statement of CJ. That has not arrived for any reform but to keep everyone in illusion. We, therefore, won’t hold dialogue with him. Our bottom line is resignation."
Chairman of the SC Bar Association Purna Man Shakya said that there are preparations to summon office-bearers of all 90 units of the NBA to Kathmandu for agitation against CJ Rana. He said the bar will respond to CJ Rana's statement through a statement of its own. "There can be no dialogue with him when we have said that Cholendra Shumsher is the main door of malpractices (sic). We will hold dialogue for reform with the leadership that will arrive after he quits," Shakya stated.
SC Spokesperson Baburam Dahal read out a two-page statement issued by CJ Rana earier on Monday expressing sorrow at the demonstration.
"I also urge the Nepal Bar Association and the SC Bar Association for dialogue as the appropriate alternative for the current impasse seems to be dialogue," CJ Rana's statement read.
CJ Rana pointed how people's questions have been directed toward them and reminded that it is the common responsibility of everyone inside the judiciary to protect the prestige and respect of the judiciary.
He also expressed readiness to open-heartedly take initiative to implement the report of Justice Hari Krishna Karki and that of different commissions formed by the judiciary at different times for reform of the judiciary.
