Kathmandu, July 11: Newly-appointed Chief Justice Sushila Karki took charge today immediately after taking the oath of office and secrecy from the President. 

Speaking in a press conference after assuming office at the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Karki expressed commitment to abide by the constitution and the prevailing laws in letter and spirit.

She stated that emphasis would be laid on implementation of the constitution as it is the supreme law of the land, noting that the Supreme Court has issued orders to amend the laws that contravene with the constitution and would do so in future also.

“The country has adopted federalism and is divided in seven provinces; the constitution has provision of keeping a high court each in every province, but this province has not yet been implemented,” she said, adding that the biggest challenge during her term would be to set up the high courts in each province and resolving the issue of adjusting the chief judges of the 16 Appellate Courts.

The Chief Justice mentioned the constitution of the Commission on Access to Justice for reaching justice to the marginalised and underprivileged population.

She added that arrangements have also been made by which the service-seekers could take date of hearing of their case from districts outside the Kathmandu Valley also and work would be carried out for having rapid and continual hearing also.

Noting that monitoring was also being carried out to check the anomalies and aberrations in the judiciary, she vowed to emphasise on implementation of court decisions in the coming days.

“You may talk of Maoist leader Bal Krishna Dhungel in the case of implementing court decisions. It is not the judges who are to arrest him but the police do not arrest and put him behind bars,” she said referring to non-implementation of the Supreme Court decision regarding a case from the conflict-era involving Dhungel.

The Chief Justice also stated that preparations were being made to making the courts paperless in the upcoming days, expressing commitment to implementing this in an effective way.

She said preparations were also being made to have provision for payment of amount to the court through the banking system.

Chief Justice Karki’s term is of 11 months. RSS