Chief Justice Khila Raj Regmi was sworn in by President on Thursday as the head of interim government mandated to hold elections for a new Constituent Assembly by June 21. Mr. Regmi then administered the oath of office to two members of his Cabinet.
The appointment came as a part of the package deal between four parties — Nepali Congress, United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal – United Marxist Leninist and United Democratic Madhesi Front. Late Wednesday night, they struck a deal on several issues related to peace process, citizenship and voter rolls.
Baburam Bhattarai, who vacated the Prime Minister’s residence having served 18 months and 18 days in office, said: “The elections should not be postponed at any cost”. He blamed the President’s lack of co-operation as the reason elections could not be held in November, the date he had announced minutes before Nepal’s last Constituent Assembly-cum-Parliament expired on May 27, 2012.
Parties opposed to Mr. Regmi’s appointment, including the breakaway Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist, were quick to hit the street, bringing transport to a halt in many parts of the country. The Nepal Bar Association called Thursday a “black day” in judicial history and urged Mr. Regmi to resign as Chief Justice.
Mr. Regmi has called on the agitating parties to support the elections. A Cabinet meeting held in the afternoon decided to curtail government expenditure and facilitate supply of petrol, a choice of decisions which raised a few eyebrows.
“The first priority for Mr. Regmi should be the election commission, not the supply of petroleum,” commented Mr. Devendra Raj Panday, a former minister and bureaucrat.
