ATTEMPT BY CJ TO THROTTLE DEMOCRACY Kathmandu, 11 Feb.: Legal professionals on Monday took exception to the idea of forming an election government under the leadership of sitting Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi, The Kathmandu Post reports. . Newly elected office bearers of Nepal Bar Association, the umbrella body Nepali lawyers, argued that the proposal to form a government under the chief justice was against the principle of separation of power. NBA President Hari Krishna Karki remarked that the head of judicial body cannot become the head of executive body. He added preparations were underway to make the Chief Justice a prime minister against the interim constitution. Vice President of NBA, Tika Ram Bhattarai, accused Chief Justice Regmi of being involved in the game to strangle the democracy. Likewise, constitutional lawyer Bhimarjun Acharya mocked the chief justice for striving to become the prime minister and said it was not a good signal. "We have started thanking him rather than congratulating him for becoming the prime minister," said Acharya. Meanwhile, a group of lawyers including the newly elected office bearers of Nepal Bar Association went to meet the president to pressurise him to stop the bid the to make the chief justice a prime minister in breach of the constitution. ATHMANDU, FEB 11 - Legal professionals on Monday took exception to the idea of forming an election government under the leadership of sitting Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi . Newly elected office bearers of Nepal Bar Association, the umbrella body Nepali lawyers, argued that the proposal to form a government under the chief justice was against the principle of separation of power. NBA President Hari Krishna Karki remarked that the head of judicial body cannot become the head of executive body. He added preparations were underway to make the Chief Justice a prime minister against the interim constitution. Vice President of NBA, Tika Ram Bhattarai, accused Chief Justice Regmi of being involved in the game to strangle the democracy. Likewise, constitutional lawyer Bhimarjun Acharya mocked the chief justice for striving to become the prime minister and said it was not a good signal. "We have started thanking him rather than congratulating him for becoming the prime minister," said Acharya. Meanwhile, a group of lawyers including the newly elected office bearers of Nepal Bar Association went to meet the president to pressurise him to stop the bid the to make the chief justice a prime minister in breach of the constitution. Nnnn MADESHI LEADERS DIVIDED Kathmandu, 11 Feb.: - A senior leader of the ruling Madheshi party and Health Minister Rajendra Mahato has warned that country will plunge into an unfortunate situation if the political forces do not converge on recent proposal of forming an 'interim set-up' led by the sitting chief justice for an early election, Mahesh Acharya writes from New Dehli.. Other senior leaders of the bloc including Deputy PrimeMinister Bijaya Gachhadar however, have stated publicly against this option. "This is the last option political parties have in order to break the logjam," Mahato, who is here to participate in an international health conference, told the Post on Monday. He also claimed that deliberations on this option had already taken place among major political parties even before UCPN Maoist's formal proposal from Hetauda convention. "UML's top leadership has already agreed in the internal meetings. However, the NC is yet to give its consent," he claimed. Mahato said the proposed interim set-up led by CJ will be called 'Advisory Council' or given other appropriate names. "The chief justice will not be called the prime Minister rather he will be the chief of such an 'Advisory Council' and he will not look into the matters in court as long as he holds the post," he added. He is of the view of inducting 5-10 members from retired top bureaucrats or independent figures in the Council under the CJ. He also suggested keeping the security agencies under the Chief of 'Advisory Council' to 'avoid the possibilities of their misuse for electoral benefits'. He informed that parties are also mulling giving a fixed period of three and a half months to the 'Advisory Council' to conduct the elections. nnnn