Nepal government head refuses to resign from chief justice

Despite the pressure from opposition parties, Chairman of Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi has refused to resign as chief justice. Regmi is holding the post of both government head and chief justice since March 13 but some opposition parties want his resignation from chief justice to ensure an appropriate environment for November 19 poll. Furnishing a written reply to Supreme Court Thursday, Regmi argued that presidential decree to remove constitutional difficulties made new provision in the constitution, which states that the government would be headed by a sitting chief justice. A case has been filed at Supreme Court (SC) demanding Regmi's resignation from chief justice. "If I resign from the post of chief justice, I will no longer remain as the Cabinet chairman, who in turn could lead to new constitutional complexities," read the reply. Opposition parties Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (MJF-N), CPN- Maoist, a splinter group of UCPN (Maoist) and Federal Socialist party Nepal (FSP-N) are demanding Regmi's resignation from chief justice, saying that holding both posts by an individual will affect the principles of separation of powers. Regmi in his reply also cites international experiences of Greece, Canada and Ghana, among others, arguing that sitting chief justices have assumed executive roles. The apex court last month asked Regmi to explain why he was holding the dual positions as head of the executive and the judiciary. The SC bench was responding to a petition filed by Bharat Jungum demanding Regmi's resignation as the chief justice. Jungum had moved the court on May 27, arguing that Regmi holding the two positions is against the principle of separation of powers. But opposition parties say they will not take part in the election process if Regmi refuses to resign from chief justice.