KATHMANDU: Those recommended by KP Sharma Oli government to various constitutional bodies have been sworn in at the President’s Office Sheetal Niwas on Wednesday morning. Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana administered the oath of office to the nominees in the presence of President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
According to Personal Secretary to the President Bhesharaj Adhikari, 38 people including the Chief Commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission and Chairperson of the Inclusive Commission were sworn in.
The Constitutional Council meeting, in a controversial manner, held on December 15 had decided to recommend for the appointment of 45 vacant office bearers and members in the constitutional bodies.
The decision was sent by the Constitutional Council to the Parliament Secretariat on December 20 for the hearing. However, the government had decided to dissolve the House of Representatives, and parliamentary hearing was not possible.
The committee member and Speaker Agni Sapkota and main opposition party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba have been expressing disagreement with the decision-making process.
Some of the recommended persons have denied to take the office.
As per the constitutional provision, the appointment of the office bearers of the constitutional bodies must be approved by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee. However, if the committee fails to give a decision within 45 days, the appointment will not be hampered, according to the rules of procedure of the joint sitting of the parliament and the joint committee.
Lawyers argue that it would be illegal to make an appointment without the approval of the hearing committee for 45 days. Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Tuesday saying that they should not be appointed without a hearing.
However, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has amended the existing legal system and brought an ordinance in his favor and appointed them to the constitutional body. On the other hand, KP Sharma Oli, who became caretaker after the announcement of the election, said that the leadership could not make important appointments while the government was preparing for additional appointments.
On the swearing in ceremony, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota were absent as against the tradition.
