Kathmandu, March 15:

Top lawyers of the Nepal Bar Association today refused to suggest the names of lawyers representing the NBA for the appointment of judges in the appellate courts.

In a meeting held with the members of the Judicial Council, the NBA representatives refused to give the names of lawyers for the appointment of judges’ posts.

The JC is preparing to fill the vacant posts of judges in appellate courts. JC members Basudev Dhungana and Motikaji Sthapit represented the council while Harihar Dahal, Shambhu Thapa, Vice-President of the NBA Hari Prasad Uprety and General Secretary of the NBA Raman Kumar Shrestha represented NBA in the discussion. The JC members were seeking feedback from the lawyers to choose judges from the legal fraternity.

“We have told the members that the JC should conduct a meeting with the advisors of the NBA and choose the interested lawyers for the job,” said Vice President of the NBA Hari Prasad Uprety. Former presidents, general secretaries and senior advocates of the NBA are the advisors of the umbrella organisation of lawyers.

The JC is scheduled to meet on March 19.

The JC members have also demanded suggestions for the criteria to appoint judges in the appellate courts. The council has yet to fill more than 35 vacant posts of judges in the appellate courts.

After appointing judges in the apex court and chief judges in the appellate courts, the JC has been doing groundwork to appoint judges in appellate courts and district courts.