Writ petition filed against chief justice recommendation

KATHMANDU: Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court challenging the Constitutional Council’s recommendation for the appointment of a new chief justice.

Tripathi registered the petition on Friday morning, arguing that the recommendation of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who ranks fourth in judicial seniority, is against the fundamental constitutional framework governing judicial appointments.

In the petition, he claimed that the recommendation amounts to serious interference in judicial independence and represents an attempt to bring the judiciary under executive control.

Through the writ, Tripathi has sought an order from the court to annul the Constitutional Council’s recommendation and direct authorities to recommend senior-most Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla for the post of chief justice.

According to court sources, the writ petition is currently undergoing the registration process.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Balen Shah had pushed through the recommendation of Justice Sharma over Justice Malla through a majority decision in the Constitutional Council meeting.