A five-member constitutional bench formed at Nepal’s Supreme Court on Wednesday did not convene, with court spokesperson Dr. Ashok Kumar Kshetri citing technical reasons. The bench was formed under Chief Justice Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, but it was announced that it would not sit after Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal’s dissent.
The failure to convene followed objections from justices over how Chief Justice Sharma formed the bench. The dispute has raised questions about the Chief Justice’s impartiality.
Judges assigned to the bench
The bench was assigned to senior-most Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal, Dr. Nahakul Subedi and Abdul Aziz Musalman, alongside Chief Justice Sharma.
Objections over the bench's formation
Justices had objected that Chief Justice Sharma formed the constitutional bench arbitrarily. Following Justice Phuyal’s dissent, the court announced that the bench would not sit.
