Specialised hearing panels at SC

KATHMANDU: In a bid to introduce specalised hearing of cases, Chief Justice (CJ) Min Bahadur Rayamajhi today set up three panels’ of justices in the Supreme Court.

The CJ introduced three separate panels - for writ and commercial issues, criminal cases and civil cases — that will look into specific cases from Sunday.

This novel initiative is the maiden one in the apex court’s six-decade-long history. “This procedure will ensure that the justice concerned will hear and decide a case from the beginning to the end,” said Hemanta Rawal, assistant spokesperson, SC.

Earlier, the CJ would assign cases at random. Chances were rife that justices would be changed at the time of the verdict. The concept behind this practice was that litigants might try to influence the justice to get the judgment in his/her favour.

Justice Anup Raj Sharma will lead the panel, which would look into writ and Commercial issues. Justices Prem Sharma and Bharat Raj Upreti are the other members of this panel.

Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha will coordinate the panel that will hear and decide criminal cases. Justices Tahir Ali Ansari and Mohan Prakash Sitaula will be a part of this body. Justice Khil Raj Regmi will head the panel that will look into civil cases. He will be assisted by Justices Gauri Dhakal, Rajendra Prasad Koirala, Rana Bahadur Bam and Prakash Wosti. “The CJ had promised to introduce scientific system for hearing. This will help speedy dispensation of justice,” added Rawal. SC amended Supreme Court Regulation 1992, two months ago to introduce specialised hearing of cases.