Constitutional lawyers and opposition parties flatly rejected it saying it was the latest move by the former revolutionaries to undermine the independent judiciary. Others said it was a red herring to allow the Maoist-Madhesi coalition to buy time and postpone elections. The proposal is expected to be bitterly attacked at a big rally that opposition parties are organising in Kathmandu on Friday.
“It is unconstitutional, it is against the separation of powers of the executive and judiciary in a democracy, and it won’t resolve the deadlock,” political scientist Krishna Khanal told Nepali Times.
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal told reporters in Hetauda that there was a ‘conducive atmosphere’ for the appointment of the Chief Justice to head an election government. Opposition figures and lawyers say the Maoist proposal could also be a ploy to let the deadline for holding election by May-end lapse so the coalition can stay on in power.
Sunir Pandey