The ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) have written to the Speaker not to move forward the impeachment motion registered in Parliament against Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

The coalition partners had agreed with the opposition CPN-UML to withdraw the motion after the second largest party obstructed House meetings demanding rollback of the process to impeach the chief justice.

NC lawmaker Min Bahadur Bishwokarma and Maoist Centre Chief Whip Tek Bahadur Basnet wrote to the Parliament Secretariat on Sunday, urging it not to forward the motion considering “the present political scenario of the country”.

Bishwokarma was the proposer of the motion registered on April 30 while Basnet seconded it. On May 5, the Supreme Court issued an interim order staying the impeachment process.

Bishwokarma said the move came due to the urgency of holding the local level elections on June 14, imminent budget presentation and ongoing talks with the Madhes-based parties. 

The process to withdraw the impeachment motion would be initiated by the Speaker, he said. “According to our letter, the Speaker will withdraw the motion following the parliamentary regulations,” Bishwokarma said.

“Our letter honours the verdict of the Supreme Court that reinstated the suspended CJ Karki and instructed Parliament not to initiate it.”

Chief Justice Karki is due to retire on June 7. Bishwokarma said they do not want to see Karki retire with impeachment hanging over her head. 

“So the top leaders agreed to withdraw the motion. Elections, talks with the RJP [Rastriya Janata Party Nepal], budget and power transfer—not impeachment—are the nation’s priorities,” said Bishwokarma.

He, however, warned that the impeachment motion would be ready any time if the court tried to intervene in the executive’s jurisdictions. 

The parties could register another impeachment motion any time if the court troubled the government, political parties and Parliament. 

“Our signatures are ready,” Bishwokarma said.