KATHMANDU: The absence of Minister of Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly Affairs has taken a toll on the country's legal administration.

"Many issues related to the judiciary and legal administration are in a limbo," said a source of the Ministry of Law, adding that the delay in appointment of the minister had hindered appointment of Appellate and District Court judges. Currently, there are over 35 vacancies in the Appellate and District Courts.

Prakash Kumar Dhungana, secretary, Judicial Council, said, "As the Law Minister is the ex-officio member, the regular business of the Judicial Service Commission and Judicial Council has also been affected."

"Almost half-a-dozen bills including those to set up three universities — the Forest, Agriculture and Veterinary Science University, Mid-Western University and Far Western University — are pending," said a source at the Ministry of Law.

PM Madhav Kumar Nepal has delegated power to Madhav Paudel, law secretary, to provide legal advice to concerned government agencies and to publish matters in Nepal Gazette. However, Paudel has to inform and get consent from the PM on issues of vital concern. "Though the Prime Minister has been holding the law portfolio, he has not been able to focus attention on the works of the Ministry of Law," the source claimed.

"The law portfolio does not fall in the priority of major political parties. This is the reason for delay in the appointment of the Law Minister," Agni Kharel, lawyer-turned-CA member of the CPN-UML said, adding that it was a matter of shame, especially at a time when the country was in the process of writing the new constitution.