Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 6

The Supreme Court failed to inspect the Appellate and District Courts in the country during the year 2002 and 2003.

"Owing to bad law and order situation in the country, the justices could not inspect the lower courts," a high-ranking official at the apex court told The HImalayan Times. The apex court has a duty to inspect the subordinate courts every year as per the Judicial Administration Act 1991 and SC regulations. Sources said that the SC judges failed to do so despite assignment by chief justice Kedar Natrh Upadhayay.

CJ Upadhayay had assigned Justices Govinda Bahadur Shrestha and Bhairav Prasad Lamsal to inspect the courts in the eastern region. CJ Upadhayay himself and Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi were supposed to inspect the courts in central region while Justices Hari Prasad Sharma and Dilip Kumar Paudel were assigned to inspect the courts in western region.

Similarly, Justices Arabindra Nath Acharya and Kedar Prasad Giri were assigned to inspect the courts in mid-western region and Late Justice Harischandra Prasad Upadhayay and Gopal Prasad Khatri were assigned to inspect the courts in the far-western region. "The Supreme Court has a duty to inspect the lower courts," retired Supreme Court judge, Laxman Prasad Aryal, said.