Kathmandu, July 2, 2005

A constitutional crisis is looming on the horizons of the Nepali judiciary even as chief justice Hari Prasad Sharma takes compulsory retirement on July 29 after he completes 65 years of age. No one has a clue as to how Sharma’s legatee will be appointed in his place in the absence of the prime minister who is the ex-officio chairman of the Constitutional Council. Following the February 1 royal takeover, the king formed the Council of Ministers under his own chairmanship. It is interesting to wait and watch whether or not the king is going to preside over the Council’s meeting and select the next chief justice. A section of the judiciary and the common citizens is of the view that the available members of the Council, even in the absence of its chairman, can select the next chief of the judiciary. Their stance seems flimsy, though, in the light of the recent appointment of the office bearers of the National Human Rights Commission. The government amended the NHRC Act 2053 BS for the appointment of its office bearers recently, but is it ready to amend the 1990 Constitution to appoint the next chief justice? The king can appoint the chief justice on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council as per Article 87 (1) of the Constitution. Article 117 also states that such a recommendation would be made based on the recommendation of the Council chaired by the prime minister along with the incumbent chief justice, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Upper House chairman, and the leader of Opposition of the House of Representatives.

Athlete Bhandari makes it two in a row

Kathmandu, July 2, 2005

Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) today gave away the Player of the Year (PoY) awards to athlete Rajendra Bahadur Bhandari, shuttler duo Puja Shrestha and Sumina Shrestha and footballer Pradeep Maharjan, marking the International Sports Journalists’ Day. The winners were awarded for their performances during 2061 BS. Bhandari, who won the award last year too, got the award in men’s section while Puja and Sumina were awarded in women’s section. Bhandari, 28, set a South Asian record finishing the 5,000m in 14:04:89 at the Athens Olympics, breaking the national record of Gyan Bahadur Bohara (14:34:15). Bhandari, who finished first in the 5000m at the All Star Asian Championships in Singapore, became the first Nepali to win a gold medal in Asian level. Tribhuvan Army Club’s football skipper Janamat Karki received the award on behalf of Bhandari, who is in UN Peace Keeping Mission in Congo. Other nominees were Deepak Shrestha (karate), Digesh Malla (chess) and footballers Pradeep Maharjan and Bikash Malla.