Kathmandu, May 9

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, Attorney General Raman Kumar Shrestha and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajaya Shankar Nayak today boycotted a programme organised by the Supreme Court to mark Law Day.

Absence of bigwigs from a programme organised by the SC comes hot on the heels of a dispute among the state’s organs.

Lawmakers of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre had registered an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Sushila Karki a few days ago at the Parliament Secretariat, which the SC stayed. The SC also reinstated the CJ, who faced automatic suspension after the impeachment motion was moved.

However, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun and other heads of constitutional bodies were present at the programme.

Spokesperson for the SC Mahendranath Upadhyay said the PM, speaker, minister for law justice and parliamentary affairs and attorney general were not present in the programme due to their busy schedules.

Thr Speaker’s Press Adviser Babin Sharma said she could not attend the programme, as she was the chief guest at another programme in the capital.

“Last year too, she did not attend the SC’s Law Day function,” said Sharma.  He said that the speaker had already consented to be the chief guest of the programme before she received an invitation from the SC.

Meanwhile, addressing the programme, Chief Justice Karki said the judiciary had been working to deliver justice without exceeding its jurisdiction.

“Justice is better served when the three organs of the state collaborate with each other,” she added.