Judicial committees' meet adopts Kathmandu declaration

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, Mar. 31: The first national conference of the local level judicial committees concluded in Kathmandu on Thursday by unveiling an 11-point Judicial Committee Kathmandu Declaration-2023.

The two-day conference was hosted by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) aiming to maintain uniformity in the work procedures of the judicial committees under the local units.

Speaking at the conclusion ceremony, Hari Krishna Karki, acting Chief Justice, said that if possible the local disputes should be solved at the local level. Stating that the nature of people to reach highest judicial bodies for justice would be time consuming and would turn expensive, he said that one should consider to use mediation centre to solve the disputes. 

He also said that each year around 37,000 cases get filed at the Supreme Court and still many cases were pending. He informed that in the Fiscal Year 2021/2022, around 19,000 disputes were registered at the judicial committees of which only 1,400 were filed at the Supreme Court and rest of the disputes were solved at the local level. 

Speaking at the conclusion ceremony, Sunita Dangol, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu and coordinator of a judicial conference main organising committee, said that the judicial committees should be institutionalised for the proper practice of justice delivery in the local level. 

Dangol informed that the 11-point declaration was announced to make the role of the judicial committee more effective, to make it more accountable towards the people and ensure easy access to the justice at the local level. 

The declaration includes that the easy access to justice for all should be ensured while solving the issues surfaced in the local levels in adherence to the prevailing law and the Constitution of Nepal, the disputes should be solved at the mediation centre as far as possible.

Basanta Adhikari, chief administrative officer of KMC, informed that the mediation centres had been established at all 32 wards in the metropolis. He said that at present, the KMC had appointed 72 mediation centre staff with an average payment of Rs. 15,000 per month to each in order to solve the local disputes at the local level. The KMC informed that around 1,400 participants were present in the two-day conference. 

Pramod Pokhrel, vice chair of Jimruk Rural Municipality, thanked for conducting such conference and providing a platform to meet local level leaders across the country at one place. He said that conference had been able to clarify the working procedures of the judicial committee. Stating that delay in providing justice was injustice in itself, he said that the KMC should not fall back taking guardianship of all local bodies. 

Similarly, Sushila Adhikari, Deputy Mayor of Nagarjung Municipality, said that judicial committees were important governmental bodies with an important role while practicing federalism. She said that despite lack of infrastructures and limited resources, many committees at the rural areas were committed to deliver justice to its people. She added that they were glad to exchange experiences and ideas at the conference.

The first national conference of the local level judicial committees had  kicked off in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Representatives of judicial committees from all 753 local bodies participated in the conference.

Speaking at the inaugural session on Wednesay, Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration Aman Lal Modi had highlighted the need for coordination between the federal government, provincial and local governments to bring efficiency in their performance. He said that although there were 53,000 vacancies throughout the country, only 2,000 employees were recruited by the local levels.

“Since only 2,000 employees are recruited, where will the remaining 51,000 employees be sent?” he questioned the local levels.

Daily over 1,000 officials of the 

local levels visit the Ministry with a demand to send employees of their choices, he claimed. Minister Modi also assured that the Federal Civil Service Act would come into effect during the tenure of the current government. Highlighting the hurdles faced by the federal and local governments, he said the Federal Civil Service Act will be tabled in the ongoing session of the Parliament.

Some local bodies had not been able to perform efficiently due the political differences among the chief and deputy chiefs, the Minister said, adding, “The officials of the local bodies should deliver services keeping the people on their first priority.”