I went to Dahal residence to meet him: Acting CJ Joshi Joshi accepts talking about recommendation of CJ when the topic came up

Setopati

2018-04-23 15:42:25

Acting Chief Justice Deepak Raj Joshi has confirmed he visited CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Puhspa Kamal Dahal at the latter's residence in Khumaltar. "There is no need to make a big deal if one meets anyone on a holiday. But I had gone. I cannot say I did not," Joshi told Setopati. "It's on a holiday that one meets others. It is normal to meet friends. He is not someone who makes decisions. Have I met someone who takes decisions?" he responded when asked why he had met Dahal. Joshi has been serving as Acting CJ since March 15 as the senior-most justice as per the legal provision after former CJ Gopal Parajuli was relieved of duty. The Judicial Council a few days later had recommended names of Joshi and two other justices qualified for the post of CJ to the Constitutional Council. Acting CJ Joshi also conceded that there were talks about the recommendation in course of conversation during the meeting. "I said nothing has happened in a month after our recommendation during the meeting. But the topic came out during our meeting. I have not gone anywhere to request to recommend my name for CJ," he stated. "I don't make such requests. I don't know if anybody else has done that." The Constitutional Council that also includes Speaker of House of Representatives (HoR), Krishna Bahadur Mahara of Maoist Center now, recommends the name of CJ and sends the person's name for parliamentary hearing. He said he stayed at Dahal residence for 15 minutes and left after drinking tea. Joshi had reached Dahal residence at seven Saturday evening and left after around 45 minutes, according to our sources. Joshi conceded that he had also met Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli earlier. He stated that he had gone to exchange New Year greetings with Oli. Political meeting by a sitting justice is considered against the code of conduct for justices that prohibits inappropriate contact with executive and legislative members. "A justice should not just be free from inappropriate contact and influence of executive and legislative members but should also appear free of such contact and influence as a wise observer," clause 3 of the Code of Conduct for Justices 2008 states.

Published Date: 2018-04-23 15:42:25

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