Katmandu, August 23 :

Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel today asked the government to secure the independence of the courts and the judges.

Paudel said the State cannot be mindless when dealing with the judiciary and fixing salaries and perks of the judges.

The Chief Justice made these remarks while inaugurating a programme of newly appointed district court judges organised by the National Judicial Academy . “Judges are not merely independent for the institutional work. Nobody should interfer in their work “ Paudel added.

He also called the government not to reduce salaries of the judges or change their service tenure fixed already by laws. “It would be against the independence of the judiciary to raise questions either to extend or to reduce their tenure,” he said. Paudel also stressed the need for good relations between the bench and the bar to protect the independence of the judiciary . He urged everyone to exercise restraint while criticising the judiciary.