KATHMANDU: About 200 cases filed in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) have been pending for about six months owing to

frequent changes of the executive chiefs.

“The metropolis bench has not decided any case in the last six months,”

said Basant Acharya, officer at the Law and Case

Division of the KMC. “People are deprived of justice from the civic body.” The cases are mostly about land and house dispute and divorce. “A case used to be decided within three months,” said Acharya. “The justice seekers are losing their patience.”

Bhusan Man Joshi of Chikamangul in KMC-20 said the KMC had been sitting on their land dispute case for five months. “Brokers are claiming our land by producing fake documents while the authorities concerned are doing nothing about the case,” he said, threatening to knock on the court for justice.

The Mayor used to pass verdict on the cases.

Then, no case would be pending on the bench.

Ever since the absence of elected representatives in the local bodies, the duty has been assigned to the executive chief.

The present executive chief, Niranjan Baral assumed office two months ago. Preceding acting executive chief could not decide any case due to his transfer rumour for four months. The new chief is said to be studying the situation in the metropolis.

The dates for case hear ing it unfair to hold the cases, he said the cases could be referred to the court. Chief Baral, a secretary in the bureaucracy, said he had taken the problem seriously. “Better delay than injustice,” he defended. “We are studying the cases. I will start deciding on the cases in two weeks.”