THT 10 years ago: Sarvoch anarchy: Women storm SC; case hearing put off

Kathmandu, March 15, 2007

The Supreme Court today put of hearing in case after a large number of women entered the judges’ bench threatening them not to issue a verdict against their interest.

“When the judges started hearing the case, a mob of women entered the bench shouting slogans and the judges deferred the hearing,” senior advocate Sarvagya Ratna Tuladhar said. “We do not conduct hearing under such pressure,” Justice Shrestaha said deferring the case.

He also said that the case will be heard tomorrow. The case was produced in a division bench comprising justices Shrestha and Gauri Dhakal. Justice Shrestha, when the pandemonium began, asked Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel to create a cordial atmosphere to conduct any hearing.

Tuladhar and former NBA president Shambhu Thapa attended the bench to plead on behalf of petitioner Laxmi Prasad Sexena, who has beenin jail on the orders of an appellate court and district court for allegedly killing his wife Samjhana Sexena.

The petitioner had moved the apex court seeking bail and challenging the district court and appellate court orders that sent him to jail. The case is subjudice since last seven months as a chargesheet was filed against Laxmi Prasad Sexena and his mother and father as the co-accused in the murder case.

Advocate Laxmi Prasad Uprety, who attended the bench representing the victim, also said that the bench had put off hearing after some of his clients threatened the judges not to pass a verdict against their interest.

Proposed varsity umbrella act draft almost ready

Formulation of a draft of the University Umbrella Act has neared completion. The proposed act draft has stressed on the need for making University Grant Commission the apex body to decide on higher education related issues in the country. Now the UGC is confined to providing grants to universities.

The proposed act draft has also suggested calling UGC as the Commission for Higher Education. Professor Dr Kamal Krishna Joshi, chairman of UGC said the commission has already submitted necessary suggestions on the proposed act.

The draft act is with the Education Ministry, which is now collecting suggestions from stakeholders to ensure that no controversy erupt after it is promulgated. “The education ministry has always concentrated more on school level education and there has been no such body that focuses on higher education, hence this proposed act clearly provides a body for this,” said Professor Joshi.

The Commission for Higher Education will provide fund, monitor and evaluate higher education in the country and the education ministry will work as a linkage.