CJ set to retire

KATHMANDU; Chief Justice Anup Raj Sharma could not materialise his idea of introducing a special plan over the execution of court verdicts even by giving concession to convicted criminals.

Since only a few SC justices attended the full court meeting scheduled for today, his plan could not materialise on the last day of Sharma at SC.

In order to introduce the plan before his retirement, he had called the meeting today. However, some justices including CJ nominee Ram Prasad Shrestha did not attend the meeting. "Sharma was willing to introduce the provision during his tenure," a high-ranking SC official told The Himalayan Times. "It is obvious that his successors are willing to take the credit over the provision," he added. Sharma is going to take retirement on Friday.

As per the plan, the apex court proposed to amend Supreme Court Regulation, Appellate Court Regulation and District Court Regulation to introduce a scheme under which a convict above100 years of age would get cent per cent concession on jail term and fine; one would get 75 per cent concession if one surrendered before court 50 years after court conviction; 50 per cent concession if one attends the court 30 years after the verdict; 25 per cent concession if one attends 20 to 30 years after the verdict.

The apex court also proposed to introduce e-justice scrapping the compulsory presence in the Supreme Court and Appellate Courts.

A comprehensive report was prepared by Justice Khil Raj Regmi, Prakash Osti and Judge Yagya Prasad Basyal and SC Spokesperson Paudel to bring reform programmes in the judiciary.

CJ Sharma also failed to make public the recently prepared report on corruption and irregularities in the judiciary for he could not forge consensus among justices.

SC spokesperson Paudel, however, claimed that CJ Sharma's initiatives would be continued in the days to come. "It might be a co-incidence that the justices did not attend the meeting due to their ill health," he said.