"The process of appointing justices has already begun," said Regmi while addressing a function organized by Nepal Bar Association (NBA) in Biratnagar, adding, “The process will conclude soon." [break]
The statement of the chief justice comes four days after the term of five temporary justices of the Supreme Court expired on Friday.
Regmi, who is also the chairman of the Judicial Council, a constitutional body responsible for making recommendation for the appointment of SC justices, stated that the problem over appointing justices surfaced following dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (CA).
"This problem has surfaced as the Constituent Assembly was dissolved without promulgating the new constitution," he stated.
Stating that the political transition has also affected the judiciary, Regmi said he was concerned over the decreasing number of justices in the Supreme Court.
The chief justice also urged NBA to take initiatives to remove hurdles in the appointment of justices. "I hope the lawyers will make some suggestions to find a way out of the problem," Regmi said.
Upendra Keshari Neupane, a member of the Judicial Council, claimed that the council could not take ahead the process of appointing justices as there were demands to restructure the judiciary.
Senior Advocate and former chairman of NBA Harihar Dahal expressed concern over the impact of absence of justices on justice delivery.
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