Kathmandu, January 30:

The Judicial Council headed by Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel is all set to recommend candidates for about 40 vacant posts of appeal judges in Appellate Courts to the King.

The JC held a meeting on the issue today. A source said Law Minister Niranjan Kumar Thapa, who is the ex-officio member of the Council, is lobbying to appoint royalists as the appeal judges.