Kathmandu, May 7:

Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri today ruled out any constitutional hindrance to government formation. He, however, called the parties to form the government after forging a consensus.

“I do not see any political impasse,” Giri said.

“The consensus will work,” he said, adding, “The option of forming a government with the support of two thirds of the Constituent Assembly should be searched only if consensus cannot be reached.” The CJ was talking to mediapersons after felicitating newly-elected office bearers of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at a programme organised by the Reporters’ Club of Nepal.

The CJ said that the new constitution should make the judiciary independent and competent.

“An independent and competent judiciary is a must to protect rights of the people,” he said. “I hope that members of the Constituent Assembly will promulgate the constitution respecting these principles of the judiciary.”

Giri urged the press to respect the boundaries set by the law. “The judiciary expects support from the fourth estate to protect rights of the people,” he added.

“I found that the new leadership has a vision to establish harmonious relation with the judiciary. Such a thinking is a must,” he added. “I want professional reporting of matters related to the judiciary,” the CJ said.

Newly-elected president of the FNJ Dharmendra Jha urged journalists to develop harmonious relations with the judiciary.

“My leadership will focus on implement the Working Journalists Act,” he called.

Other office-bearers of the FNJ vowed to work to ensure rights of journalists in the constitution to be promulgated by the Constituent Assembly. They said pledge to uphold the freedom of speech and press freedom should be made in the preamble of the constitution.