Chairperson Dr. Ojashwi Sherchan Stresses Clarity in 'Forensic Science Laboratory Establishment and Operation Bill, 2081'

Kathmandu. Chairperson of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the Federal Parliament, Dr. Ojashwi Sherchan, has stated that the definition and minimum qualifications of an expert should be clearly mentioned in the 'Forensic Science Laboratory Establishment and Operation Bill, 2081'.

Presenting her views during the discussion on the bill in the committee meeting held on Wednesday, Chairperson Sherchan said this.

She stated that there is a risk that the court's decision may be influenced by the opinion given by an expert, leading to an innocent person being convicted or a guilty person being acquitted, and therefore this matter should be taken seriously. She has proposed that an expert should have at least passed the postgraduate level and completed a certain period of training from an institution recognized by the Government of Nepal.

The meeting approved the proposal to invite Dr. Gopal Chaudhary as an expert in each meeting of the committee, as this bill is of a purely technical nature and requires in-depth consultation on this subject. Dr. Chaudhary has been invited to play the role of an expert based on his long experience in this field.

Chairperson Sherchan said in the meeting, 'Since the matter of punishment or acquittal can be decided based on the expert's opinion, this term should not be taken lightly. Further discussion is needed on the qualifications of an expert, so this should be passed only after further study, not finalized now.'

In the meeting, she informed that the subjects in the definition section of the bill can be revised again based on the suggestions received during the clause-by-clause discussion. She clarified that the secretariat is noting down the issues raised by the members and the definition can be revisited as needed after the clause-by-clause discussion is completed.