KATHMANDU, Aug 3: A meeting of Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee has turned down the name of acting Chief Justice Deepak Raj Joshee for the post of Chief Justice.
Joshee's name was rejected by two-thirds majority of votes. Of the total 15-member PHSC, ruling NCP has nine members, NC has four and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party have one each.
The ruling party opted for voting to resolve the issue after Nepali Congress boycotted the meeting of the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee over the chief justice appointment row and the efforts made to garner consensus among stakeholders did not bear any fruits.
Here’s what legal experts say as PHSC turns down Joshee
With Joshee's name rejected, Om Prakash Mishra and Cholendra Shamsher Rana now are in line for the post of chief justice on seniority basis.
Earlier, the meeting was postponed for 15 minutes after the main opposition asked for additional time to discuss the chief justice appointment in their party.
The meeting, which was called for 10:30 am today, had been delayed by an hour. Even though PHSC meetings were held earlier for several times to endorse the name of Joshee for the Chief Justice, they could not strike deal over differences between the ruling party and the main opposition Nepali Congress.
The meeting had been in Hamletian dilemma whether to endorse or reject the name of Joshee as the Chief Justice of Supreme Court after his credentials courted controversy.
The legal proceedings of the Supreme Court have been affected due to delay in the parliamentary hearing for Joshee.
On June 12, the Constitutional Council had recommended Joshee as the new chief justice.
