Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, July 5:

A three- member panel of Supreme Court judges today suggested Justices Krishna Kumar Barma and Baliram Kumar, who acquitted British druglord Gordon William Robinson, resign.

“The panel submitted its report to Chief Justice Govinda Bahadur Shrestha,” secretary of the Judicial Council, Kashiraj Dahal, said. The Chief Justice, also chairman of the Judicial Council, provided copies of the report to the members of the Judicial Council justice Hari Prasad Sharma and Pushpa Raj Koirala. Dahal added that the next meeting of the Council would decide the course of action. A Supreme Court source said the CJ is likely to name Justice Bhairav Prasad Lamsal as a member of the Council for a decision on the matter as per Article 93 (2) of the Constitution.

“If it becomes necessary for the Judicial Council to consider any matter relating to a judge who is a member of the Council or to make a recommendation to the King about such a judge, the judge next in seniority shall take part as a member,” the Article states. The Panel also advised the CJ to take administrative action if the two judges were not ready to resign.

“The two judges have betrayed public confidence,” a Council member said on condition of anonymity, adding, “Since there is no existing House of Representatives to initiate impeachment, the only solution is that they resign,” he added.