Impeachment for delivery of justice

By TNW correspondent

Prime Minister Deuba and his ruling partners, although struggling for being on one page on Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact, found common ground in the move to impeach Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana on ground of causing obstruction in delivery of justice, failing to steer judiciary smoothly and responding to  those agitating for his resignation over corruption.

Senior politicos interpret the impeachment-move as a compulsion to remove obstacles in the functioning of the independent judiciary. “Mr. Rana, now suspended Chief Justice, was given time, space and opportunity to tackle the problems affecting the judiciary but he simply could not do so. Neither did he show any interest to resign. The politicos therefore undertook the last resort – impeachment through parliament.”

Immediately after the impeachment process the path for operation for the judiciary gets cleared in full swing. The protestors –justices who did not share Benches with Rana and the lawyers who launched agitation demanding Rana’s resignation over corruption –will find part of their grievances fulfilled. Senior most justice at the Supreme Court Deepak Kumar Karki now runs the Supreme Court as acting Chief Justice. Major pillars of the Supreme Court – Constitutional Council, Judicial Council, Judicial Service Commission, and the SC Benches will also operate smoothly in absence of Rana.

Critics of the move consider the sudden move for the impeachment as being motivated by some ill political desire to disturb political stability and the forthcoming local polls. A few explain the impeachment as an attempt to divert the public attention which is currently focused on difficulties to get the MCC ratified in parliament.

Some senior politicos understand that the impeachment measure will give the coalition government some time to discuss further the ways to get parliament running smoothly without obstruction by the opposition party CPN UML and introduce MCC for ratification through consensus.

The coalition government has through the impeachment move demonstrated that it could go up to the poll with coalition spirit. “Since the coalition came into existence without any conditions for ensuring proper implementation of the constitution and democratic process in the country, it will continue undisturbed under any excuse into the next cycle of federal practice,” remarked a media analyst.