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Writ calling appointment of CJ

Kathmandu, May 20 : A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court today calling for appointment of the Chief Justice.
The Constitutional Council, Federal Parliament Secretariat, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Speaker, the NA Chair, the leader of the Opposition Party and the House of Representatives have been named as defendants in the writ filed by advocate Santosh Bhandari.
Currently, Dipak Raj Joshi is serving as the Acting Chief Justice since then CJ Gopal Parajuli resigned on April 14, after his term was deemed unconstitutional due to age limit. As per the Constitution, the CJ must be appointed within a month of the post falling vacant.
The appointment of the new CJ has been delayed for lack of formation of the parliamentary hearing committee, even though the Judicial Council has already recommended the names of Acting CJ Joshi and Justices Om Prakash Mishra and Cholendra Shumsher Rana to the Constitutional Council.