Nepali Congress has questioned the government about the impeachment motion initiated by the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmakers against Justice Deepak Raj Joshee.

Addressing the meeting of National Assembly on Sunday, NC lawmaker Radheshyam Adhikary raised serious objection against the impeachment process initiated by the NCP against senior-most Supreme Court (SC) justice.

Adhikary warned the NCP that his party had faced a serious electoral defeat after registering impeachment motion against the then Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

 “Impeachment motion was one of the major reasons behind the Nepali Congress’s defeat in the latest elections. Therefore, I would suggest the ruling party not to repeat that mistake,” Adhikary said.

He also requested any of the ministers in the KP Oli-led government to respond to the news reports that signatures have been collected to register the impeachment motion against Joshee.

Though the NCP lawmakers on Thursday collected signatures to bring an impeachment motion against the Joshee, they are yet to register it in Parliament.

Adhikary said that such move could tarnish the image of the SC and hinder the implementation of federalism.

He also expressed serious concern over the statement of the government authorities that the judiciary should support the government.

“This attitude will lead to a situation where the judiciary would just become a section of the government,” he said, adding that the NCP-led government should stop polarising the judiciary.

Noting that impeachment is not the arm to be used in ordinary situations, Adhikary said there was “no valid reason to impeach Joshee”.

He also objected to the media reports that the ruling parties were exerting pressure on Joshee to resign after the Parliamentary Hearing Committee rejected his nomination for top judiciary post.