PARSA: Chief Justice Sushila Karki said that 'mafia' was flourishing in the courts in the name of the law practitioners. She said the mafia elements were flourishing in the legal system as smuggling was booming in the trade sector.

Addressing a human rights seminar organised by the Human Rights and Public Concern Committee under the Nepal Bar Association in Birgunj today marking the 68th International Human Rights Day, the Chief Justice urged all the law practitioners to beware of this trend as the entry of brokers in the legal system would minimise the role of the law practitioners.

She stressed the importance of upholding the law and order, peace and social goodwill for nation building.

Karki asserted that the country cannot move forward on the path of progress as long as the corruption, irregularities and malpractices remain.

The Chief Justice spoke of the need of implementation of the constitution by ending the discrimination existing in society, calling on all the political parties to unite for this.

Attorney General Raman Kumar Shrestha; members of the Judicial Council Ram Prasad Sitaula and Padma Baidya; central vice-president of the Bar Association Usha Malla Pathak; member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Shree Krishna Subedi and former central president of the Bar Association Sher Bahadur KC underscored the implementation of the constitution and the need for the political parties to pass the constitution amendment bill for giving a way out to the country from the present political stalemate.

Committee president Bijaya Kanta Mainali presided over the programme. Judges of different levels of courts, law practitioners and Bar Association office-bearers were present in the programme.