Senior Advocate Bhattarai Expresses Concern Over Nepal's Constitution, Judiciary, and Political Parties

Kathmandu. Senior advocate Tikaram Bhattarai has expressed concern over Nepal's current constitution, the judiciary, and the working style of political parties. He commented that the forces involved in constitution-making are themselves trying to tear it apart.

Speaking at a program organized in Kathmandu on Saturday, Senior Advocate Bhattarai said that the first and second dissolutions of the House of Representatives initiated the process of 'derailing' the constitution and 'tearing it to shreds'.

Recalling that citizens and parties took to the streets during past dissolutions and the court brought the constitution back on the right track, he argued that the current situation is different. He stated that he was saddened to have to say this as a legal practitioner who goes to court for arguments daily. Bhattarai mentioned that the end of internal democracy in political parties has dealt a major blow to civil liberties.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of the judiciary, Bhattarai said, 'In the past, the court brought the constitution back on track on both occasions, but now I no longer feel that our court has that courage. The court has reached a state where it cannot function according to the spirit of the constitution, and recent developments suggest that the judiciary is surviving on fear and terror. Today's political parties have become like private limited companies (Pvt. Ltd.). No one seems to have the capacity to resist them.'

He accused the parties of ceasing to operate based on ideology and collective decisions. He concluded that the coming days will be more challenging due to the lack of internal democracy in the parties and the weak presence of the judiciary. – News Agency Nepal