The Supreme Court justices have decided not to appear before the Impeachment Recommendation Committee saying it would be against the principle of the separation of power and the spirit of the Constitution of Nepal.

The committee on Wednesday had decided to record the statements of the Supreme Court justices who were named by suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana responding to the allegations made against him in the impeachment motion. The committee had issued summons to as many as six justices including acting chief justice Deepak Kumar Karki and asked them to appear before the committee on Thursday morning for questioning.

However, a full court of the Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon decided to ignore the summons. “The full court has concluded that it would be against independence of judiciary, the principle of the separation of powers and the values adopted by the Constitution of Nepal for the acting chief justice and justices to be present in the Impeachment Recommendation Committee for question-answer,” reads the decision from the full court as per the Supreme Court’s statement. “Therefore, no justices will appear before the committee.”

While defending himself before the committee, Rana had claimed the impeachment motion was lodged against him to promote Karki to the post of chief justice. He had also levelled various allegations against Justices Hari Krishna Karki, Ishwar Khatiwada and Prakash Man Singh Raut among others.

Although Rana, defending himself at the committee, had also made corruption allegations against leaders of several political parties and lawyers among others, the committee had decided to summon only the sitting justices.

“I think the committee will study the Supreme Court’s letter on Thursday and take further decisions,” Laxmi Gautam, secretary of the committee, told the Post.

Rana has answered 43 questions prepared by the committee. However, the lawmakers are yet to ask supplementary questions. “Rana has been called for Thursday afternoon,” said Gautam.