October 25: Chief Justice Cholendra SJB Rana, who has courted controversy for seeking a quota to appoint a minister, is in deep crisis after 14 justices decided to boycott a full court meeting called by the chief justice for October 25.

A meeting of the 14 justices of the Supreme Court on Sunday (October 24) decided to boycott the full court meeting summoned by the CJ.

The chief justice is under pressure to resign from his post after the justices decided not to show up at the full court.

Justices Deepak Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, Hari Krishna Karki, Bishwanbhar Prasad Shrestha, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai, Prakash Man Singh Raut, Bam Kumar Shrestha, Tanka Bahadur Moktan, Prakash Kumar Dhungana, Sushma Lata Mathema, Kumar Regmi, Hari Prasad Fuyal, Manoj Kumar Sharma and Nahakul Subedi were present during Sunday’s meeting that decided to boycott the full court.

Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada is in the United States for an official visit while other four justices – Sapana Malla Pradhan, Kumar Sinha, Tej Bahadur KC and Kumar Chudal were outside the Kathmandu Valley during Sunday’s meeting.

The 14 justices had convened a meeting after their lunch break instead of returning to their respective benches on Sunday.

Meanwhile, CJ Rana held meeting with office bearers of Nepal Bar Association the same day and decided to call the full court meeting. However, the full court meeting has become uncertain after the justices decided not to attend it.

CJ Rana defended himself during his meeting with the officials of the bar association stating that the media reports regarding his involvement in seeking a share in cabinet is not true.