Kathmandu, December 11

The Constitutional Council today failed to recommend candidate for the post of chief justice for the second time as two CC members didn’t attend the meeting held for the purpose. The next CC meeting is scheduled for December 20.

According to a CC member, today’s meeting was put off as CC Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and main opposition leader Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba didn’t attend the meeting.

CC member and National Assembly Chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsena told THT that both leaders (Oli and Deuba) couldn’t attend the meeting due to their busy schedule. CC member and Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe told The Himalayan Times that Deuba had sought a few more days to attend the CC meeting. The CC meeting on December 3 had also failed to recommend CJ.

The Judicial Council led by Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra had nominated senior-most judges of SC Deepak Raj Joshee and Cholendra Shumsher JBR for the post of CJ. Joshee has already been rejected by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.

CJ Mishra is retiring on January 2 due to age bar. As per existing law, the CC must recommend a candidate for appointment as the new CJ a month before the retirement of the incumbent CJ.