Parliamentary Hearing Committee approves four nominees including proposed Supreme Court justices Maoist lawmakers boycott committee meeting

Setopati

Kathmandu, July 7

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee has endorsed four nominees, including three proposed Supreme Court justices.

The committee’s meeting held on Monday approved the nomination of Senior Advocate Meghraj Pokhrel, Chief Judge of the Janakpur High Court Shreekanta Paudel, and Chief Judge of Dipayal High Court Shanti Singh Thapa as Supreme Court justices, and Mahesh Kumar Nepal as a member of the Judicial Council.

Meanwhile, CPN (Maoist Center) lawmakers Janardan Sharma and Jag Prasad Sharma boycotted the committee meeting, saying the proposed names were not inclusive.

Maoist lawmaker Jag Prasad Sharma told Setopati they didn't participate in the decision-making process because the proposed names weren't inclusive.

The committee had discussed with the law minister about issuing a directive to ensure inclusivity, or if that was not possible, requesting for it, or drawing attention to it. But the Nepali Congress and the UML disagreed on this approach, so we didn't join the decision process."

Though hearings for the proposed justices concluded on June 30, the process had been put on hold until now.