When the executive reaches for the gavel: Nepal’s judiciary and the global playbook of court capture
Summary
Nepal faces a constitutional crisis as the government reshapes the Supreme Court through ordinance and impeachment threats, mirroring judicial control trends in Poland, Turkey, and other countries.
Key Points
- Nepal's government altered the Constitutional Council's quorum to control Supreme Court appointments, lowering consensus requirements.
- The elevation of a less senior justice as Chief Justice disrupted an unwritten convention, undermining judicial independence.
- International bodies warn Nepal's judicial restructuring resembles tactics used in Poland and Turkey to capture courts.
- Threats of impeachment against senior justices raise concerns over intimidation and erosion of constitutional safeguards.
