Purna Bahadur Khadka Warns: Established Tradition Must Be Maintained in Chief Justice Appointment

April 24, Kathmandu – Former acting President of the Nepali Congress, Purna Bahadur Khadka, emphasized that the Constitutional Council should not undermine the nearly four-decade-long established tradition of appointing the Chief Justice. Ahead of the council meeting scheduled to decide on the Chief Justice appointment, he drew the government’s attention to this tradition through a Facebook post on Thursday.

“The Constitutional Council meeting, chaired by the honorable Prime Minister Balendra Shah, is scheduled for today. According to information, the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will be made today,” Khadka stated. “The council must not devalue the established tradition of Chief Justice appointments that has been maintained for approximately four decades.”

Khadka warned that if the council disrupts the established tradition of appointing the Chief Justice, it will lead to serious instability within the judiciary. “Otherwise, due to significant insecurity and uncertainty, the judiciary will face severe instability,” he wrote. “Such developments pose a risk of multifaceted negative impacts on our established democratic system. This issue requires the serious attention of the council’s chairperson.”