Kathmandu, March 3, 2006

King Gyanendra is sitting on a onemonth- old recommendation of the Judicial Council to appoint 31 judges in appellate courts without any reason, which has left high-ranking officials of the Supreme Court and the Judicial Council fretting. The Judicial Council (JC) headed by the Chief Justice had recommended the King to appoint district court judges and some judicial officials as Appellate Court Judges but the King is yet to approve the recommendation. “The palace had once tried to press the JC recommend names of lawyers loyal to the palace but after failing to do so the palace might have been once again trying to create pressure on the JC by not approving its recommendation,” an SC justice told this daily on condition of anonymity. The Judicial Council had forwarded the recommendation on February 2. Due to objections raised by two Supreme Court judges Kedar Prasad Giri and Min Bahadur Rayamajhi who are also the ex-officio member of the council, a proposal of Law Minister Niranjan Kumar Thapa to to ‘recommend’ 15 royalist lawyers’ names had become hollow despite Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel and royal nominee in the council Bhairav Prasad Lamsal’s efforts to recommend names proposed by the Minister.

Parties laud Bush statement

Kathmandu, March 3, 2006

Political leaders and foreign experts today labelled US President George W Bush’s remarks on Nepal as “positive.” The leaders, however, were firm on “staying away” from dialogue unless the King confines himself within constitutional parameters and talks with him guarantees positive results. The leaders of the seven-party alliance demanded the monarch first create an “encouraging environment” that would guarantee result oriented talks. Speaking at the Reporters’ Club, Nepali Congress (NC) leader and former foreign minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat said, “We have been saying that the end of violence and restoration of democracy is a must. Bush, too, has said it,” he said, appreciating the “well-coordinated” policy of India and the US on Nepal. He said the US stance on Maoists seemed flexible. Referring to Bush’s statement that the King should initiate dialogue with the political parties, CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal said the ruling establishment should “clear all obstructions by restoring constitutional values” to create an environment conducive for dialogue. Dr Narayan Khadka of the NC (D) said the King must first “step down” as the chairman of the council of ministers, release all leaders and restore people’s rights. He also said the US is still not convinced that the Maoists would lay down their arms.