Nine parties for quick implementation of transitional justice to conclude peace process

“Our serious attention has been drawn over the issues raised in the transitional justice process recently,” reads a statement from the parties without referring to the court order. “We are committed to concluding the transitional justice process as per the spirit of the constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Accord. Remaining tasks related to the revision of the law related to it will be completed soon.”

A bill to this end, and in line with previous Supreme Court orders, will be tabled at the ongoing session of the federal parliament, reads the statement.

The parties’ meeting that was initially called to discuss the presidential election was dominated by the court’s order. The parties in the newly formed alliance are the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Janata Samajbadi Party, the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, the Nagarik Unmukti Party, the Janamat Party, the Rastriya Janamorcha and the Nepal Samajbadi Party.

The alliance’s meeting was held hours after Prachanda’s party, and some leaders of the Maoist Centre as well as ex-Maoist leaders, strongly criticised the Supreme Court for its Friday’s decision.

Rectiying its earlier decision of the court’s administration to reject the petition against Prachanda, a division bench of Justices Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada and Hari Phuyal had ordered its registration. Advocate Gyanendra Aran, who is also a victim of the Maoist insurgency, and Kalyan Budhathoki, had on behalf of over a dozen victims challenged the decision to reject the petition.

The writ petitions against Prachanda couldn’t be registered on Sunday due to a delay in receiving Friday’s decision. The court administration handed over the decision only on Sunday evening, media reports quoted advocate Aran as saying. “We will register the petition on Tuesday Monday being a public holiday on the occasion of Festival of Holli,” said Aran.