Proposed Chief Justice Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma Declared Ineligible by Complainant

Kathmandu. An objection has been filed at the Parliamentary Hearing Committee stating that proposed Chief Justice Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma is ineligible to become a Supreme Court Justice. Complainant Tanka Prasad Acharya has raised questions about the eligibility of proposed Chief Justice Sharma through a complaint filed with the committee.

According to him, the situation has been created as if someone who passed SLC is directly admitted to a Master's degree. He stated that to become a Supreme Court Justice, one must have practiced law for at least 15 years, or been a High Court Justice for 7 years, or worked in the judicial body for 12 years, or been a first-class employee in the Supreme Court for 12 years. However, he argues that Dr. Sharma possesses none of these qualifications.

He mentioned that Sharma has only practiced law for about 10-11 years and worked as an ad-hoc judge for approximately two years. He accused Sharma's appointment of being influenced by family connections and abuse of power. He alleged that after the promulgation of the 2072 BS constitution, Sharma's ad-hoc judge position ended, but he was directly appointed as a Supreme Court Justice in 2076 BS by then-Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana.

He stated that although an objection was filed against that appointment at the Parliamentary Hearing Committee at that time, it was not heard. He accused Sharma of being retained as a Justice by quashing a writ filed in the Supreme Court. He demanded that Sharma's name be rejected by the Parliamentary Committee, stating that the committee should make a decision in accordance with the constitution and judicial dignity.

He also stated that the verdicts given by proposed Chief Justice Sharma while he was a judge were controversial. He claimed that the country suffered significant financial loss by quashing the writ against the tax exemption given to Ncell. He stated that if a controversial person is given the full responsibility of Chief Justice, the country will have to bear great judicial and financial losses.