KATHMANDU: The Judicial Council on Thursday recommended 60 persons for appointment in the vacant positions of district judges.

A meeting of the Council held today made the recommendations on the basis of work performance, seniority, experience, knowledge on contents, competence, honesty, neutrality, devotion and contribution to justice and high moral character among others, states a notice issued by the Council.

All the nominated persons are working as gazetted second class legal officers at various ministries, constitutional bodies, courts and government attorney offices.

The recommendation is made as per Article 113 of the Interim Constitution and Section 4(1) of the Judicial Council Act, according to the Council.

Now, the Chief Justice will appoint them to the vacant positions as per Article 109 of the Constitution.

The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) had been demanding that the appointment process start only after promulgation of the new constitution. The draft of the constitution has provisioned that judicial appointments shall take place through open competition.

The Council decision today, hence, is likely to draw the flak from the NBA.