The Supreme Court today issued an interim order not to implement the letter of Parliament Secretariat General Secretary Bharat Raj Gautam. The constitutional bench this afternoon issued the interim order directing the concerned authorities not to implement the Parliament Secretariat’s letter, assistant spokesperson of the Supreme Court Devendra Dhakal said. The bench formed under the headship of acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki comprises Justices Bishowamber Prasad Shrestha, Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Anil Kumar Sinha.

Earlier on Wednesday, Parliament Secretariat General Secretary Bharat Raj Gautam handed a letter over to Chief Justice Rana, stating that the impeachment motion filed against him has become ineffective.

Later, Supreme Court Bar Association Chairman Purna Man Shakya among others moved the court challenging the decision to the Parliament Secretariat. The Bar Association lawyers had staged a sit-in on the premises of the Supreme Court after the Chief Justice decided to return to office on the same day. The law practitioners are preparing to stage the sit-in to bar Chief Justice Rana from entering the office. As many as 98 lawmakers of ruling Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) had filed an impeachment motion at the Parliament on March 13, 2022. Rana was accused of promoting corruption, stalling much needed reforms in the judiciary and failing to lead the judiciary. He is retiring on December 13. Rana was appointed as the Chief Justice in 2018.