BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 29: Lawmakers at the House of Representatives today drew the government’s attention towards ensuring the respect of the judiciary and accused the state mechanism of violating the court verdict favouring human rights.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party Parliamentary leader Surya Bahadur Thapa said that the parliamentary system had failed to function as expected due to political parties’ behaviour, adding that drastic changes in the system was needed for the improvement.

Thapa accused the Main Opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) of creating terror by vandalising vehicles and abusing the judges after the Special Election Court declared RPP’s Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani elected from Nuwakot-1.

Dr Lohani who lost to UML’s Rajendra Prasad Lohani in the last year’s general election had appealed to the court for recounting the ballots.

“How can the system work when the responsible parties obstruct in this way?” he questioned.

He said that the Main Opposition party’s act was regrettable in the present context when all parties had to work together to improve the country’s deteriorating situation. “Today’s need is not to vandalise but to jointly work towards consolidating democracy and protecting the constitutional values,” he said.

UML’s Subash Nemwang, while stating that the party leader had clarified the party’s opinion about the Special Election Court verdict, said that the decision would have no legal validity until the case was finalised by the Appeal Court. “The legal war will continue till then.”

He said that UML would remain at the forefront to safeguard the Constitution against any attack from any corner, adding that his party would continue to raise voice for the consolidation of judiciary.

Nemwang accused the police of unlawfully arresting Tara Bhusal in Butwal and lawyer Som Raj Timilsina in Hetauda immediately after the court released them. He demanded the Home Minister to explain the legal provision under which they were arrested and inform the House on their whereabouts.

Pari Thapa of Rastriya Janamorcha (National People’s Front) and Lila Mani Pokharel of Samyukta Janamorcha (United People’s Front) also demanded the government’s clarification on the cases.

Rajendra Mahato of Nepal Sadbhawana Party raised the issue of citizenship problem in the Terai districts and said that some 34 thousand people were deprived of the document.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Gopal Prasad Koirala demanded the government to form a committees to probe the irregularities in the relief fund for political victims and to examine property of politicians and bureaucrats.