Kathmandu, August 31:

The parliamentary Hearing Special Committee today issued a notice to the public, seeking their opinion on Supreme Court Justice Kedar Prasad Giri’s nomination as the Chief Justice.

A meeting held today under the chairmanship of MP Amod Prasad Upadhayaya issued the notice. “If anyone has any concern regarding Giri’s appointment as Chief Justice, they can file complaints by September 4,” Upadhayaya said after the meeting. The notice said that complainants should mention their names and addresses. The committee has scheduled its meeting for September 5. Giri will face the hearing on the same day.

MPs will seek clarification from Giri if there are complaints against him. Giri is the first person to face the parliamentary hearing before being appointed as the Chief Justice.

It may be noted that the Parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC) had sought the impeachment of judges, including Giri, for removing the Mahalaxmi Sugar Mills from blacklist. Some MPs have been planning to object to the decision made by the Constitution Council (CC) to select Giri for the post of CJ on this ground.

The meeting of the committee, which was held today, could not conduct hearing on NHRC chairman and members because authorities concerned did not forward personal details of proposed NHRC chief Kedar Nath Upadhayaya and members Ram Nagina Singh, Gauri Pradhan, Lila Pathak and Dr KB Rokaya.

The committee told the authorities concerned to forward resumes of the NHRC chairman and members.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today forwarded a list of seven nominees picked for ambassadorial posts to the committee to conduct a hearing. Pampha Bhusal, Yogendra Dhakal, Bijaya Kanta Lal Karna, Dr Rishi Adhikary, Kamal Koirala, Baijanath Thapaliya and Arjun Bahadur Thapa are the nominees.

Committee formed

KATHMANDU: The CC on Friday formed a committee headed by Motikaji Sthapit to hold talks with organisations before the appointment of judges. Attorney-General Yagyamurti Banjade, Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Kul Ratna Bhurtel, SC Registrar Dr Ram Krishna Timalsena, NBA president Bishwokanta Mainali and Dean of the Law Department of the TU, Kanak Thapa, are members. Secretary of the Judicial Council, Prakash Kumar Dhungana, is member-secretary of the committee. — HNS