Kathmandu, January 17

Two of the top three law officers of the government invited by the Impeachment Recommendation Committee of the Parliament to seek advice on the impeachment motion filed against the recently dismissed chief of Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki have preferred to keep mum on the matter.

The committee is in a dilemma over whether or not to proceed with the motion as Karki’s appointment has already been scrapped by the Supreme Court.

At the meeting, Nepal Law Commission Chair Madhav Paudel and Law Secretary Tek Prasad Dhungana expressed inability to put forth their views. Paudel said he could not speak on the matter as he was a minister of the then Khila Raj Regmi-led government that had appointed Karki as the CIAA chief. Paudel was also a member of the Law Commission at that time.

The Supreme Court quashed Karki’s appointment as CIAA chief on January 8, stating he was not eligible for the position as per the Interim Constitution. Before that, a total of 157 lawmakers from CPN-Maoist Centre and CPN-UML had registered the impeachment motion against Karki as per Article 101(2) of the constitution.

Law Secretary Tek Prasad Dhungana also expressed inability to put forth his views on the matter as he was already appointed a High Court judge.

Attorney General Raman Kumar Shrestha, who was invited to share his views on the matter in his capacity of legal adviser to the government, informed the committee that he could not attend the meeting today. “We will call him tomorrow to give his opinion on the matter,” said Rewati Raman Bhandari, a member of the committee.

Bahndari said the fate of the impeachment motion could likely be decided tomorrow.” The SC has only disqualified Karki for the post of CIAA chief. Many questions such as action to be taken against him for misusing his authority have yet to be answered,” he said.