SC studies execution of verdicts

KATHMANDU: The Verdict Execution Directorate (VED) under the Supreme Court has asked all district courts across the country to furnish a detailed report incorporating the problems faced in the execution of court verdicts.

“We have demanded reports from all 75 district courts regarding the execution of court verdicts, as it is a long-pending problem in the judiciary,” said Jivan Hari Adhikari, chief of the VED.

According to Adhikari, the newly-formed body has been doing necessary groundwork to find

out the problems and expedite the verdict execution process.

“We have sought

detailed descriptions of punishment, fine and jail term from district courts, as many cases are pending in the trial courts. These courts have the real authority to implement verdicts,” Adhikari added.

Chief Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi formed the new body, to expedite the verdict execution process in a bid to solve the long-pending problem, immediately

after assuming the top judicial post in the

country. According to the Supreme Court, the non-execution of the verdicts has become a serious problem in the judiciary.

The courts have not been able to collect Rs 4 billion as fine and

execute 87,000 cumulative years jail term slapped on thousands of convicted persons.

Likewise, 5,929 applications are pending in the courts demanding the execution of verdicts.

Of them, 3,813 applications are related to execution of verdicts on

monetary transactions, 850 on transfer of land ownership, 1,081 applications on sharing of

property, 78 on the destruction of illegally built houses and 33 on compensation cases.

“Hundreds of verdicts have not been implemented because of many reasons. We will now find out the problems behind the non-execution of court verdicts and resolve them,” Adhikari said, adding, “One of the major factor behind the

non-execution of court verdicts in the past was insurgency. Courts couldn’t proceed with the necessary procedures in the past because of the conflict in the country.”

According to Adhikari, if the convicted persons died before the execution of the verdict, such persons can be pardoned only after a committee led by District Court Judge forwards inquiry report on it.

CJ Rayamajhi has mandated the VED to maintain records of problems faced in the execution of court verdicts, coordinate with the district courts on the issue, liaison with the Police Headquarters for the execution of verdicts. The VED has also been empowered to recommend measures to ensure execution of verdicts on time.