Karki recommended for Chief Justice

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 9: A meeting of the Constitutional Council held on Monday recommended Acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki for the post of Chief Justice.

The meeting of the Constitutional Council called by its chairman Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ made the recommendation. 

Karki, has been serving as acting Chief Justice of the Apex Court since September last year. 

National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina informed that the meeting decided to recommend the name of Karki for the post of 

Chief Justice. Karki’s name was recommended unanimously on the basis of seniority, Timilsina added. 

According to the Constitution, only those who have served as a Supreme Court (SC) Justice for at least three years are eligible to become the CJ.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Prachanda, Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Devraj Ghimire, NA Chairman Timilsina, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dhanraj Gurung, Deputy Speaker Indira Rana and 

leader of the main opposition party KP Sharma Oli.

The six-member Constitutional Council is headed by the Prime Minister and includes the leader of the main opposition, the Chief Justice, the Speaker, NA Chairman, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary 

Affairs and the Deputy Speaker of the Lower House.

The Supreme Court has been headless for the last 14 months following the automatic suspension of the then CJ Cholendra Shumsher Rana after an impeachment motion was registered against him on February 13, 2022.

Following the suspension of Rana, senior justice Deepak Kumar Karki worked as acting CJ of the apex court until his retirement on September 25 last year, and Hari Krishna Karki was serving as acting Chief Justice since then. 

After the approval of the name by the Parliamentary Committee, the President will appoint Karki as the new CJ. 

The Constitutional Council was unable to convene its meeting due to the polarisation of political parties after the dissolution of the House in 2020 and 2021.