After the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) unanimously approved his name, acting Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli will be sworn in as the chief justice on Monday.

Though there were no complaints filed against him, PHSC members quizzed Parajuli during the hearing conducted in Singha Durbar on Sunday morning.

Lawmakers including Dharma Nath Prasad Sah had questioned if people’s faith in the PHSC and its hearing process were deteriorating.

Parajuli presented a 39-point action plan before 14 members of the House committee. 

Lauding the agenda, the members urged him to prioritise them for their implementation in his short tenure. Parajuli will head the Supreme Court for 11 months until April 29, 2018.

Parajuli has been in charge of the apex court since Sushila Karki retired as the CJ on June 6.

Born on April 28, 1953 in Tanahun district, Parajuli was appointed an ad-hoc 

justice in an appellate court in 1990.

In the reform plan, Parajuli stresses effective implementation of the court’s decisions, besides providing prompt services even by working at odd hours and on holidays.

Starkly divided on the issues of Karki’s impeachment case, the row over appointment of the inspector general of Nepal Police and the Bharatpur ballot counting dispute, lawmakers from the opposition CPN-UML and the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) asked Parajuli for his views on separation of powers.

Parajuli told the PHSC that the impeachment issue would be heard by the constitutional bench and he would not speak on cases including the Bharatpur row and IGP appointment that are sub judice in court.

UML Chief Whip Bhanubhakta Dhakal expressed his concern over the allegations of bench-shopping in the judiciary.