Kathmandu, July 23

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee will conduct confirmation hearing for Chief Justice nominee Justice Deepak Raj Joshee on July 26.

The PHC has received five complaints, including two from anonymous persons, related to verdicts delivered by Joshee in property cases as well as a case involving casinos. Member of PHC Yogesh Bhattarai said the panel had called the complainants tomorrow to hear their grievances against the CJ nominee. Bhattarai said the parliamentary panel will hear the arguments of CJ nominee Joshee on July 26.

PHC confirms or rejects a nominee after hearing the candidate’s argument as to why he/she is fit for the job. Bhattarai said as per the new rules, the PHC would also call members of Nepal Bar Association and some senior jurists on the day the hearing for CJ nominee will be conducted. “We will also hear the arguments of some jurists before we hear the arguments of the CJ nominee,” Bhattarai said.

A PHC member said on condition of anonymity that one complainant has stated that Acting CJ caused huge loss to the government as he had stayed the government’s decision to tax casinos, which was in effect  for four years. The member also said that the complainant also stated that Acting CJ Joshee held a pompous party at a star hotel in violation of the law.

The Constitutional Council had, on June 12, recommended Joshee as the new chief justice. Joshee has been working as the Acting CJ since March 15, a day after the Judicial Council wrote a letter to then Chief Minister  Gopal Parajuli informing him that he had reached retirement age on August 5, 2017.  Joshee is the senior most justice of the Supreme Court.