Kathmandu, July 16: The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) have each recommended two amicus curiae (friends of the court) in response to a Supreme Court order in a writ petition challenging the Property Probe Commission.
The Nepal Bar Association has nominated former Attorney General and Senior Advocate Badri Bahadur Karki and Senior Advocate Tikaram Bhattarai as amicus curiae.
Similarly, the Supreme Court Bar Association has recommended former Attorney General and Senior Advocate Dr. Dinmani Pokharel and Advocate Raman Karn.
The recommendations were made following a directive from the Supreme Court, which sought independent legal opinions from both bar associations while hearing the writ petition filed against the Property Probe Commission.
The appointed amicus curiae will assist the court by providing independent legal analysis and expert opinions on the constitutional and legal issues involved in the case.
Balen Shah government earlier formed a Commission to probe properties of former high ranking officials, judges, political appointees, security officials, among others. The Commission has already begun it’s work.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued an interim order directing the Property Investigation Commission to halt the ongoing process of investigating the property and it source under the ownership of former public office-bearers.
A single bench of judge Nrip Dhwaj Niraula ordered the Commission to halt all investigation processes until writs to this are finally addressed by a full bench of the court. The court also ordered the Commission not to seek property details from anyone or conduct property investigations until the writ petitions are finally decided.
Earlier, Forum Judges Forum Nepal and advocate MR Upadhayay had registered separate writs challenging the processes in regard with the investigation of property details of former public authorities. According to SC Spokesperson Arjun Prasad Koirala, the full text of the interim order is awaited.#nepal
