JURIST - Paper Chase: Nepal supreme court judge shot dead

[JURIST] A judge for the Supreme Court of Nepal [official website, in Nepali] was shot and killed Thursday while traveling to work. Judge Rana Bahadur Bam, who was under investigation for allegedly taking bribes [AP report] was shot in his vehicle by two masked men on motorcycles. Two other passengers in the car were also injured. Reports alleged that Bam accepted bribes in exchange for lighter sentences for criminals [BBC report]. Nepal's Constituent Assembly (CA) [official website, in Nepali], which was dissolved on Sunday after it failed to meet its deadline in writing a new constitution [JURIST report], began impeachment proceedings against Bam in response to the allegations.

Last week, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered [JURIST report] the government to complete the final version of the new constitution by Sunday, rejecting the administration's request to extend the deadline by three months. The CA, responsible for drafting the constitution, was elected to a two-year term in 2008, but the term has already been extended four times [AP report] despite its pledge [JURIST report] to finish it by the end of April 2010. Nepal abolished [JURIST report] its monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal on December 28, 2007, and has since attempted to create a new constitution for the country, but has failed to do so.