Suspended Chief Justice Rana will return court. Suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana is prepared to return to the Supreme Court following the receipt of a letter declaring the impeachment motion against him futile.
Rana is preparing to return to the Supreme Court to resume duties after a letter from Bharat Raj Gautam, general secretary at the federal parliament, was sent to the Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Constitutional Council, Supreme Court, and Judicial Council, informing them that the motion against the chief justice will be rendered ineffective following the election of a new House of Representatives on November 20.
The recent elections effectively ended the previous parliament’s term. Suspended Chief Justice Rana will return court.
“With the completion of the new House of Representatives elections on November 20, the earlier letter from the (parliament’s) general secretary that had banned honourable Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana from executing his duties has become useless,” the letter states. “The impeachment motion has also been rendered ineffective because the process did not proceed even after the Impeachment Motion Recommendation Committee submitted its report following an investigation after the motion was filed and initial House of Representatives discussions,” the letter continues.
The letter from the general secretary of the federal parliament comes shortly after the House of Representatives members of the previous parliament have completed their terms.
On February 13, 98 legislators filed a move against Rana, invoking Article 101 (2) of the constitution.
Rana was automatically suspended after the impeachment motion was filed.
The legislators levied 21 complaints against the chief justice in the motion lodged at the Parliament Secretariat, including that he failed to promote the independent and competent court and failed to defend the country’s legal sector.
The legislators levied 21 complaints against the chief justice in the motion lodged at the Parliament Secretariat, including that he failed to promote the independent and competent court and failed to defend the country’s legal sector.
Rana, who was appointed chief judge on January 2, 2019, first sparked controversy in October of last year, when all Supreme Court justices protested him, accusing him of supporting corruption.
Justices ceased hearing cases and sharing benches with him, and on December 1 of last year, the Supreme Court implemented a lottery system, depriving Rana of the authority to assign cases.
