Parliamentary Hearing Committee Clears Sharma for Chief Justice

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee on Tuesday, May 19, endorsed the Cabinet’s recommendation of Supreme Court Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma as the next chief justice.

The committee unanimously approved Sharma’s nomination following a parliamentary hearing at Singha Durbar, where he outlined his plans for judicial reform and responded to lawmakers’ questions on challenges facing the judiciary.

During the hearing, lawmakers raised concerns over alleged pressure to block the registration of petitions challenging his recommendation for the post, factionalism in the judiciary and what they described as controversial verdicts in certain cases.

Sharma was recommended for the post by the Constitutional Council on May 7. The recommendation departed from the judiciary’s long-standing seniority-based succession practice, as Sharma ranks fourth in the Supreme Court’s seniority order.

Sharma will assume office after being formally appointed and sworn in by President Ramchandra Paudel.