Nepal Bar Association Objects to MP's Parliamentary Statement

Kathmandu. The Nepal Bar Association has written a letter to Speaker DP Aryal expressing objection to the statement made by Rastriya Swatantra Party MP Ganesh Parajuli in Parliament. In the House of Representatives meeting on Tuesday, MP Parajuli had stated that 'the acting Chief Justice challenged the two-thirds government from the street'. However, the Bar has determined that the statement attacked the independence of the judiciary.

In the letter sent to the Speaker, Association General Secretary Senior Advocate Kedar Prasad Koirala mentioned that MP Parajuli's comment conveyed a wrong message that 'no one can speak against the government with a two-thirds majority'. The Bar has explicitly interpreted this as the sowing and promotion of autocracy, stating that such an understanding is contrary to democratic values and norms.

सर्वोच्च प्रशासनले मुद्दा दर्ता वा दरपिठ दुवै नगरी मौनता साँधेको नेपाल बारको आरोप

The Bar has reminded that there is a constitutional provision that prohibits debating the performance of the judiciary and judges in any house of the federal parliament. The letter also mentions the provision of debate restriction imposed by Article 105 of the Constitution and the principle established in the case against the then President of the Nepal Bar Association, Senior Advocate Sarvagya Ratna Tuladhar, in the National Panchayat.

The Bar has specially urged the Speaker to make arrangements to prevent such political comments from being made in Parliament in a way that adversely affects the performance of the judiciary and judges. Furthermore, the Association has drawn the Speaker's attention to uphold the dignity of the independent judiciary by making rulings on such matters in Parliament in the future.

Stating that it has always been vigilant for constitutional supremacy, rule of law, and separation of powers, the Bar has clarified that any activity that compromises the impartiality of the judiciary will not be acceptable.