KATHMANDU: A meeting of the Constitutional Council has been convened to move forward the appointment process of a new Chief Justice.
The Council secretariat called the meeting for Thursday following instructions from Prime Minister Balen Shah, who also chairs the council.
The development comes after President Ram Chandra Paudel issued an ordinance related to the Constitutional Council on Tuesday. The President had earlier returned the ordinance for reconsideration on Sunday, but it was re-sent by the government without changes on Monday and subsequently promulgated.
The government had recommended the ordinance for the second time, relating to the functions, duties, powers, and procedures of the Constitutional Council, prompting the immediate call for a meeting after its issuance.
Previously, President Paudel had returned the same ordinance recommended last week, asking for reconsideration. However, the government re-submitted it without amendments, leading to its eventual promulgation.
With the ordinance now in effect, the quorum for the six-member Constitutional Council has been fixed at four members. This allows decisions to be made with a majority of three members, potentially enabling Prime Minister Shah to push decisions forward within the council.
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