Judicial Council Act, 2073 (2016)

Used on our issue pages

• Governance and justice

What does it do?

• The Act sets out how the Judicial Council recommends appointments, transfers, discipline and removal of judges. The Council keeps a roster of people qualified to be judges and must recommend a Supreme Court appointment at least a month before a justice retires (or within a month of any other vacancy), and High Court vacancies within three months. Recommendations follow the proportional inclusion principle and weigh seniority, experience, knowledge, efficiency, integrity, impartiality, conduct and contribution to law and justice; Supreme Court nominees are sent to the Federal Parliament for a parliamentary hearing.यो ऐनले न्याय परिषद्ले न्यायाधीशको नियुक्ति, सरुवा, अनुशासनसम्बन्धी कारबाही र बर्खास्तीको सिफारिस कसरी गर्ने भन्ने व्यवस्था गर्छ। परिषद्ले न्यायाधीश हुन योग्य व्यक्तिको अभिलेख राख्छ, सर्वोच्च अदालतका न्यायाधीश उमेरको हदले अवकाश हुनुभन्दा कम्तीमा एक महिनाअघि (अन्य कारणले पद रिक्त भए एक महिनाभित्र) र उच्च अदालतको पद रिक्त भएको तीन महिनाभित्र नियुक्तिको सिफारिस गर्नुपर्छ। सिफारिस समानुपातिक समावेशी सिद्धान्तअनुसार वरिष्ठता, अनुभव, विषयगत ज्ञान, कार्यकुशलता, इमानदारी, निष्पक्षता, आचरण र न्याय तथा कानूनमा योगदानका आधारमा गरिन्छ; सर्वोच्च अदालतका लागि सिफारिस भएकालाई संसदीय सुनुवाइका लागि सङ्घीय संसद्मा पठाइन्छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 3–9, pp. 2–7
• The Act defines grounds for disciplinary action against judges: lack of competence, misconduct or serious breach of the code of conduct, failure to perform honestly or acting with bad intent, and inability to work. Complaints go through a preliminary inquiry and, where needed, an inquiry committee with court-like powers, and the judge must get a chance to defend himself; the Council can then recommend action, including removal.ऐनले न्यायाधीशउपर कारबाहीका आधार परिभाषित गर्छ: कार्यक्षमताको अभाव, खराब आचरण वा आचारसंहिताको गम्भीर उल्लङ्घन, इमानदारीपूर्वक कर्तव्य पालन नगर्नु वा बदनियत राख्नु, र काम गर्न असमर्थ हुनु। उजुरीमा प्रारम्भिक छानबिन र आवश्यक परे अदालतसरहको अधिकार भएको जाँचबुझ समितिबाट जाँच हुन्छ, र न्यायाधीशलाई सफाइको मौका दिनुपर्छ; त्यसपछि परिषद्ले बर्खास्तीसहितको कारबाही सिफारिस गर्न सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 10–14, 17–21, 26, pp. 7–17
• For corruption allegations against High Court and District Court judges, the Council appoints a Supreme Court or High Court judge as investigating officer with the powers of an investigator under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059; a judge charged with corruption is automatically suspended. High Court chief judges inspect lower courts and the Council monitors judges' work.उच्च र जिल्ला अदालतका न्यायाधीशउपरको भ्रष्टाचारको आरोपमा परिषद्ले सर्वोच्च वा उच्च अदालतका न्यायाधीशलाई अनुसन्धान अधिकृत तोक्छ, जसले भ्रष्टाचार निवारण ऐन, २०५९ बमोजिमको अनुसन्धान अधिकार प्रयोग गर्छ; भ्रष्टाचारको मुद्दा चलेका न्यायाधीश स्वतः निलम्बन हुन्छन्। उच्च अदालतका मुख्य न्यायाधीशले मातहतका अदालत निरीक्षण गर्छन् र परिषद्ले न्यायाधीशको कामको अनुगमन गर्छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 15–16, 22–25, pp. 11–17
• High Court and District Court judges are normally not transferred within two years of posting, and transfers aim to give judges experience of mountain, hill, Tarai and Kathmandu Valley postings. Council members and judges must file their family's property declarations within 60 days after each fiscal year; the Council keeps personal and integrated records of judges, has its own secretariat, and reports annually.उच्च र जिल्ला अदालतका न्यायाधीशलाई सामान्यतया एउटै अदालतमा दुई वर्ष पूरा नभई सरुवा गरिँदैन, र सरुवा गर्दा हिमाल, पहाड, तराई र काठमाडौं उपत्यकाको अनुभव हुने गरी गरिन्छ। परिषद्का सदस्य र न्यायाधीशले प्रत्येक आर्थिक वर्ष सकिएको ६० दिनभित्र आफ्नो र परिवारको सम्पत्ति विवरण पेस गर्नुपर्छ; परिषद्ले न्यायाधीशको वैयक्तिक र एकीकृत अभिलेख राख्छ, यसको छुट्टै सचिवालय हुन्छ र वार्षिक प्रतिवेदन पेस गर्छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 27–30, 34, 38, pp. 17–25

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.