Kathmandu, Feb 20: Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut has announced that the Supreme Court will clear all cases pending for over eight years within four months.
Speaking at an event in Kathmandu on Thursday to mark the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, he revealed that the number of such cases had already been reduced from thousands to just 78. He assured that the remaining cases would also be resolved by the set deadline. Furthermore, he set a target to clear all cases older than five years by 2083 BS, stating that there are currently around 2,400 such cases in the Supreme Court.
“As per my projection, we are on a mission to bring down the number of eight-year-old cases to zero by the end of Asar 2082 BS (within four months). Today is Fagun 8, and I only have four months left. The number of such cases in the Supreme Court has already come down from thousands to just 78. These remaining cases will also be resolved by then. Additionally, we aim to clear all five-year-old cases—around 2,400 in number—by the end of Asar 2083 BS,” he stated.
Chief Justice Raut also pointed out that legal professionals’ expertise and capabilities have not been effectively utilized in the law-making process. He argued that inadequate discussions between legal professionals and the parliament often lead to flawed and unjust laws. He emphasized the need for legal experts to actively engage in lobbying for fair and reasonable laws before they are enacted.
“We, as legal professionals, possess knowledge and understanding. However, we are not transmitting that knowledge to the right places. Parliament enacts laws, but if a law turns out to be flawed or unjust, there is no need to seek justice afterward. What I humbly urge is that legal professionals should engage in lobbying before laws are made, ensuring fairness and reasonableness. Many unnecessary laws exist today, and we often find our hands tied when trying to correct them. Perhaps, those laws were never needed in the first place. Therefore, legal professionals and parliament should work together from the outset, holding extensive discussions to develop a culture of collaboration,” he said. #ChiefJustice #nepal #BarAssociation
