Ratopati weekly briefing [Oct 24-29]: Judicial deadlock deepens, what political parties have  to say

We present to you the major issues ane events that make headlines this week from Sunday to Friday. 

1. Judicial Deadlock 

As Chief Justice Cholendra Sumsher JB Rana has been dragged into various controversies ranging from violation of the principle of separation of power to imparting activities against the judicial dignity  , the ongoing crisis in the Supreme Court has further worsened. 

Though the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and CJ Rana’s fellow justices at the Supreme Court (SC) demand his resignation, he said he would not resign, but rather face a constitutional procedure. 

Amid the ongoing deadlock, the justices boycotted all the benches allotted for them since Sunday. CR Rana conducted a single-bench hearing on Wednesday. 

2. Political parties’ position regarding SC crisis 

While NBA and SC justices asked Rana to step down as the chief justice, the main opposition party sought the resignation of all five justices who were part of the constitutional bench that invalidated KP Sharma Oli’s second move to dissolve the House of Representatives (HoR). 

The ruling parties, however, are silent and abstain themselves from commenting on the issue. 

PM Deuba, who is also the president of the ruling Nepali Congress(NC), , addressing a program on Wednesday, refused to make any comments on the ongoing controversy surrounding Chief Justice Cholendra SJB Rana. 

Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) said that the party is yet to formulate its official view on the issue. 

CPN (Maoist Center), a coalition partner, on the other hand, said it would not comment on the issue relating to the court. Maoist leader Dev Gurung said that commenting on the issue may violate the principle of separation of power. 

Upendra Yadav, Chairperson of the ruling Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) also said that the political parties should not intervene in the disputes at the court. “Constitution experts and legal eagles should express their views on the issues relating to the disputes at the court.”

3. PM in UK 

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday left for the United Kingdom (UK) leading a 20-member Nepali delegation. PM Deuba flew for the UK via a Qatar Airways flight at 10:40 AM on Friday. 

While in the UK, Deuba is scheduled to attend the World Leaders Summit of the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26) being held in Glasgow on November 1 and 2.

4. New envoys to India, UK and USA 

Ahead of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to the United Kingdom, the government, on Thursday, named the ambassadors to three different countries. Cabinet recommended to President Bidya Devi Bhandari the names of envoys to India, the UK and the USA. 

Dr Shankar Sharma has been named as the ambassador to India, Gyan Chandra Acharya to the UK and Shreedhar Khatri to the USA. 

While Khatri, a professor of political science is a foreign affairs expert, Sharma is a former ambassador to the USA. Similarly, Acharya was a former permanent representative to the United Nations. He also served as the economic advisor to PM Deuba during the latter’s previous tenure. 

The government had decided to recall all the ‘politically appointed’ ambassadors to various countries earlier on September 21. 

5. EC begins preparation for new polls 

The Election Commission (EC) has begun preparations for the period elections as the tenure of people’s representatives especially at the local level is due to expire in May, next year. 

The poll body on Monday held an interaction with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba where it  recommended to the government to hold the local level elections by March 19, 2022. 

The tenure of local level people’s representatives is due to expire on May 19, next year. 

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya shared that the election body made such recommendations as the election-related acts have made it mandatory to hold elections two months before the tenure of incumbent representatives expires. During the meeting, PM Deuba assured of taking necessary decisions to this effect. 

The EC also recommended to the government to hold elections for the to-be-vacant seats of the National Assembly (NA) in January, next year. Tenure of 20 members of the upper house of parliament is expiring in February-end. 

6. House prorogation following continued UML obstruction

Government on Thursday decided to prorogue the ongoing House session. A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday decided to recommend to President Bidya Devi Bhandari to prorogue the ongoing session of the House of Representatives (HoR) to be effective from Friday midnight. 

The ongoing session, which kicked off on September 9, could not go smoothly owing to continued obstruction by the main opposition CPN-UML. Including Thursday, the main opposition obstructed a total of 13 House meetings demanding Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota take action against 14 lawmakers including Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chairman of newly formed CPN (Unified Socialist), whom the UML had sacked. 

7. New government in Bagmati 

A new government-led by Rajendra Pandey of CPN (Unified Socialist) has been formed in Bagmati Province following the resignation of out-going CM Asta Laxmi Shakya.

 Newly appointed chief minister of Bagmati Province, Rajendra Pandey was sworn in amid a formal function organized at the Office of Chief of Province on Thursday afternoon. 

Governor Yadav Chandra Shamra administered an oath of office and secrecy to CM Pandey. 

Meanwhile, CM Pandey’s Cabinet colleagues Krishna Lal Bhadel (Nepali Congress), Kumari Moktan (Maoist Center) and Krishna Prasad Sharma (Unified Socialist) were also sworn in. 

While Bhadel has been handed over the responsibility of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, Moktan will take charge of the Social Development Ministry and Khanal the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 

After losing the majority in the Bagmati Province Assembly following the split in the ruling CPN-UML, immediate past Chief Minister Ashta Laxmi Shakya stepped down hours before the assembly was scheduled to vote on her confidence motion on Wednesday

Newly appointed CM Pandey has been backed by the ruling alliance comprising the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (US) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). 

Pandey is the third chief minister of the province after Shakya and the first CM Dormani Poudel. 

8. Tihar at doorstep

Tihar, one of the major festivals celebrated by Nepalis, is just a week away. The festival, also known as Deepawali [festival of lights], is observed for five days. People worship Goddess Laxmi [considered the goddess of wealth] and illuminate their houses with candles, oil-fed lamps and electric lights to welcome her. On the occasion of Bhai Tika, brothers receive seven-color [Saptarangi] Tika  and garlands from their sisters.

Farmers are busy plucking flowers for this festival these days.