Impeachment (Regulation and Procedure) Act, 2002

What does it do?

• The Act sets the procedure for impeaching 'constitutional office-holders': the Chief Justice and the heads and members of constitutional bodies appointed on the Constitutional Council's recommendation, Supreme Court justices, and members of the Judicial Council appointed under Article 153(1)(d)–(e). The grounds are inability to perform duties because of physical or mental incapacity, misconduct (which includes acts deemed corruption), or failure to perform official duties honestly and in good faith.यो ऐनले 'संवैधानिक पदाधिकारी' विरुद्ध महाभियोग चलाउने कार्यविधि तोक्छ। संवैधानिक परिषद्को सिफारिसमा नियुक्त प्रधान न्यायाधीश तथा संवैधानिक निकायका प्रमुख र पदाधिकारी, सर्वोच्च अदालतका न्यायाधीश, र धारा १५३(१)(घ)–(ङ) बमोजिमका न्याय परिषद्का सदस्य यसअन्तर्गत पर्छन्। महाभियोगका आधार यी हुन्: शारीरिक वा मानसिक अक्षमताका कारण पदीय कर्तव्य पालना गर्न नसक्नु, भ्रष्टाचार मानिने कामसमेत समेटिने खराब आचरण, वा पदीय कर्तव्य इमानदारीपूर्वक पालना नगर्नु। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 2(a)–(d), p. 2; Section 3(1), p. 3
• At least 25 per cent of the members of Parliament may table an impeachment motion, stating the reasons and grounds, through the Secretary General to the Speaker, with supporting evidence where possible. Parliament then forms an inquiry committee of up to 11 members, representing more than one party where possible and including one legal expert qualified to be a Supreme Court justice. The committee has three months to complete its work, which the Speaker can extend by up to 30 days.संसद्का कम्तीमा २५ प्रतिशत सदस्यले कारण र आधार खुलाई, सम्भव भएसम्म प्रमाणसहित, महासचिवमार्फत सभामुखसमक्ष महाभियोगको प्रस्ताव पेस गर्न सक्छन्। त्यसपछि संसद्ले सम्भव भएसम्म एकभन्दा बढी दलको प्रतिनिधित्व हुने गरी, सर्वोच्च अदालतको न्यायाधीश हुने योग्यता भएका एक कानूनविद्सहित बढीमा ११ सदस्यीय जाँचबुझ समिति बनाउँछ। समितिको कार्यावधि तीन महिनाको हुन्छ, जसलाई सभामुखले बढीमा ३० दिन थप्न सक्छन्। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 3(1)–(4), p. 3; Sections 4–6, pp. 3–5
• The committee can summon the accused official and witnesses, demand documents, take statements and fine anyone who defies it up to Rs 10,000. In corruption cases it has the powers of an investigating officer and may ask another body to investigate. It must give the accused a charge sheet and a chance to respond. Where incapacity is alleged and denied, it may set up a three-member medical board; refusing examination leads to a presumption of incapacity. Proceedings are normally confidential.जाँचबुझ समितिले आरोपित पदाधिकारी र साक्षीलाई बोलाउन, कागजात माग्न, बयान लिन र आदेश नमान्नेलाई दस हजार रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना गर्न सक्छ। भ्रष्टाचारको आरोपमा समितिलाई अनुसन्धान अधिकृतको अधिकार हुन्छ र अर्को निकायबाट छानबिन गराउन सक्छ। समितिले आरोपितलाई आरोपपत्र दिई सफाइको मौका दिनुपर्छ। अक्षमताको आरोप अस्वीकार गरिएमा समितिले तीन सदस्यीय मेडिकल बोर्ड बनाउन सक्छ; परीक्षण गराउन इन्कार गरे अक्षमता रहेको अनुमान गरिन्छ। जाँचबुझको कारबाही सामान्यतया गोप्य हुन्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 7–10, pp. 5–9
• The committee's report is tabled by the Speaker and becomes part of the motion. If Parliament adopts the motion, the official is automatically removed from office. An official removed for corruption must then be prosecuted under the corruption law, and the committee's report is admissible as evidence. The Act still refers to the 'Legislature-Parliament'; the Law Commission's note says this now means the Federal Parliament. The Act itself does not state the number of votes needed to pass the motion.जाँचबुझ समितिको प्रतिवेदन सभामुखले संसद्मा पेस गर्छन् र त्यो प्रस्तावको अभिन्न अङ्ग हुन्छ। संसद्ले प्रस्ताव पारित गरे आरोपित पदाधिकारी स्वतः पदमुक्त हुन्छन्। भ्रष्टाचारको आरोपमा पदमुक्त भएकाविरुद्ध प्रचलित कानूनबमोजिम भ्रष्टाचार मुद्दा चलाउनुपर्छ, र जाँचबुझ समितिको प्रतिवेदन प्रमाणमा लिइन्छ। ऐनमा अझै 'व्यवस्थापिका–संसद' भन्ने शब्द छ; कानून आयोगको टिप्पणीअनुसार यसको अर्थ अहिले सङ्घीय संसद् हो। प्रस्ताव पारित गर्न कति मत चाहिन्छ भन्ने कुरा यो ऐनले तोकेको छैन। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 11–12 and 14–15, pp. 9–11; editorial note (2), p. 11

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

None documented in the official reports we have reviewed so far.

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.