Transparency International Nepal on Monday called for an immediate investigation into judges who have been publicly questioned and urged that controversial judges be kept away from adjudicating cases. In a statement, the organisation said political, governmental and middleman influence had long raised questions about the impartiality of Nepal’s judiciary.
Calls for investigation and limits on case assignments
The organisation’s demands address two related concerns: scrutiny of judges whose conduct or role has been questioned publicly, and whether those judges should continue to hear cases while the concerns remain unresolved. It called for an immediate investigation and for controversial judges to be kept away from adjudication.
The statement did not, in the information made public, set out the details of a proposed investigation or identify specific cases in which judges should not sit. Its central request was that public questions about judges be examined and that judges described as controversial not adjudicate cases.
The two measures serve different purposes. An investigation would address the questions raised about judges, while keeping controversial judges from hearing cases would respond to concerns about their participation in judicial decisions. The organisation made both requests in its Monday statement.
Concerns about influence and impartiality
Transparency International Nepal said the impartiality of the judiciary had long been questioned because of political, governmental and middleman influence. The statement framed these influences as a continuing concern, rather than as an issue limited to a single case or judge.
The call places the focus on public confidence in judicial impartiality. When concerns about influence are raised, the organisation’s position is that they should be addressed through an investigation and by preventing controversial judges from adjudicating cases. The statement did not provide further details about the alleged influence or describe particular instances.
The organisation’s appeal therefore links the question of individual judges to broader doubts about the judiciary’s ability to decide cases impartially. It called for action on both fronts: examining judges who have been publicly questioned and ensuring that controversial judges do not hear cases.
Statement leaves details to be clarified
The statement, as described, did not specify which judges were under question, who should conduct an investigation, or how long any restriction on case assignments should last. It also did not include a response from the judiciary, government or political actors. The available account of the statement contains no details about any investigation already under way.
Transparency International Nepal’s Monday appeal is a demand for action, not a report that an investigation has begun or that judges have been removed from cases. Its stated concern is that political, governmental and middleman influence has raised long-running questions about impartiality. The organisation called for those questions to be investigated and for controversial judges to be kept away from adjudicating cases.
