KATHMANDU, JUNE 6

Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has reconstituted the Constitutional Bench comprising senior-most justices to hear the House of Representatives dissolution case.

The new bench led by CJ Rana, and including Justices Deep Kumar Karki, Mira Khadka, Ishwor Khatiwada and Ananda Mohan Bhattrai will now hear the petitions against dissolution of the House.

One of the senior-most SC justice Hari Krishna Shrestha recused himself from the bench to avoid conflict of interest.

Earlier, when the HoR was dissolved for the first time on December 20, Justice Hari Krishna Karki had recused himself from the HoR dissolution case after petitioners pointed out that he was appointed the attorney general by the KP Sharma Oli government before being nominated as SC justice.

Following his recusal, the next most senior justice Khatiwada was included on the bench.

Meanwhile, Justice Bhattarai was included in the bench as another senior justice Bishwambhar Shrestha is currently in isolation after having recently come into contact with a coronavirus infected person.

The bench will hear 30 writs filed against the HoR dissolution case including the petition filed by the opposition alliance representing 149 former lawmakers.