Nepal’s Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana risks being impeached as 98 lawmakers from the country’s ruling coalition registered an impeachment motion against him seeking his removal. Marred in controversies since October last year, Justice Rana has been facing charges of corruption and compromising the integrity of the institution, leading to an unprecedented revolt by many of his fellow judges. 

Rana’s impeachment has become imperative as the judiciary needs to be protected from further deterioration, the ruling coalition led by the Nepali Congress argued.

Last year Justice Rana had been accused of demanding “his share” in the cabinet, weeks after the apex court nullified a decision by President Bidya Devi Bhandari to dissolve parliament. The court had also ordered the president to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba, the leader of the Nepali Congress, as prime minister. 

“Parliamentarians have attempted to give a constitutional way out to the crisis in the judiciary,” Law Minister Dilendra Badu was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post. “Now lawmakers will use their discretion,” he said.

The top court in the last two years has played a significant role amid political instability over government formation, and constitutional confusion, passing several historic orders, including the nullification of the dissolution of the lower house, twice, and the merger of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). 

Last year in October, Nepal’s Bar Council and several judges of the supreme court revolted against him, seeking his resignation after allegations against him emerged. The crisis was managed after judges and Chief Justice Rana reportedly reached a comprise formula wherein the latter agreed not to exercise his power of allocating cases to benches.  

On Sunday, Prakash Sharan Mahat, the spokesperson of the main ruling party, the Nepali Congress, said, “The motion was brought because justice delivery to the people was obstructed.” 

“The intention was to end the obstruction in justice delivery. Our party will continue discussions on it at the party's meetings,” he was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

However, the question remains as to why the ruling coalition waited for so long when the controversy has been brewing for months now. 

The main opposition party, the CPN-UML, however, termed the move an attempt to influence the top court. Calling the impeachment motion a “guerilla-style” move, the party said it aimed at “sabotaging the upcoming local elections and influencing pending court cases including one related to corruption involving Madhav Nepal and Baburam Bhattarai. 

Madhav and Bhattarai, both of them former prime ministers, are now in the ruling coalition. 

(SAM)