Kathmandu, May 7: The Constitutional Council has recommended Supreme Court Justice Dr. Manoj Sharma for appointment as the next Chief Justice.
A meeting of the Constitutional Council held on Thursday decided to recommend Sharma for the country’s top judicial post.
The recommendation marks the first time in Nepal’s judicial history that a judge ranked fourth in seniority has been proposed for the position of Chief Justice. The Council bypassed Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and senior justices Kumar Regmi and Hari Phuyal to recommend Sharma, who stands fourth in the seniority order.
The Judicial Council had recommended six names for the post, including Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, Justices Kumar Regmi, Hari Phuyal, Til Prasad Shrestha, Dr. Nahakul Subedi and Dr. Manoj Sharma.
Sharma was appointed as a Supreme Court justice on April 19, 2019. If confirmed, he will serve as Chief Justice for six years.
Following parliamentary hearing approval, his name will be forwarded to the President for formal appointment in accordance with constitutional provisions.
