IRC to discuss draft working procedures on November 11

Kathmandu, October, 26

Impeachment Recommendation Committee of the Parliament, which was to adopt its working procedures, will discuss the draft on November 11 as the panel members demanded time to study the contents of the working procedure.

Coordinator of IRC subcommittee Ram Narayan Bidari said the sub-panel had finalised the draft of the working procedures but since the IRC demanded more time, another meeting of the panel was scheduled for November 11.

Bidari said the draft of the working procedures prepared by IRC sub-panel included provisions relating to search and seizure proceedings. The draft also includes provisions to regularly monitor activities of the person against whom the impeachment motion has been filed, collect evidences and summon them and seek their written and oral reply.

He said the IRC members wanted to take time also because the impeachment motion which was tabled in the Parliament had not landed at IRC yet. The Parliament would send the impeachment motion to IRC for investigation once the debate on the motion is over in the House.

When asked how the IRC would respond to some parties’ demand that the IRC should not have members who have signed the impeachment notice in order to ensure impartial probe into the impeachment motion against chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lok Man Singh Karki, Bidari said there were some exceptions to the rule of natural justice.

“In judicial system there is a provision whereby one cannot be judge in his own case, but contempt case is different where a judge suo motu files the case and adjudicates the case. Similarly, quasi-judicial bodies also file the case, conduct investigations and adjudicate the case,” Bidari added.

In principle, he added, all the 601 lawmakers of the Parliament can back impeachment motion and if the argument that those lawmakers who have signed the impeachment motion cannot investigate the allegation is to be accepted, then there cannot be an action on such motion.