Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
Manoj sharma CJ
KATHMANDU: Supreme Court Justice Dr. Manoj Sharma has been recommended for appointment as the next Chief Justice of Nepal, marking a significant and unprecedented development in the country’s judicial history.
A meeting of the Judicial Council on Thursday decided to forward Sharma’s name for the position of Chief Justice. If endorsed by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, he will become the 33rd Chief Justice of Nepal.
The recommendation is being viewed as a historic departure from Nepal’s long-established judicial tradition, as Sharma is currently fourth in the seniority order among Supreme Court justices. This is the first time in Nepal’s judicial history that a justice outside the top senior-most position has been recommended for the country’s highest judicial office.
Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, along with senior justices Kumar Regmi and Hari Phuyal, were bypassed in the process, making Sharma’s nomination a major topic of discussion within Nepal’s legal and political circles.
Justice Sharma was appointed to the Supreme Court on April 19, 2019 (6 Baisakh 2076 BS). If approved through parliamentary hearings, he could serve a nearly full six-year tenure as Chief Justice, an uncommon possibility in Nepal’s judiciary.
Born on June 17, 1970 (4 Asar 2027 BS) in Parsa district, Sharma will reach the constitutional retirement age of 65 on June 17, 2035 (3 Asar 2092 BS). This would allow him to remain in office until around April 2032 (Baisakh 2089 BS). Notably, no Chief Justice in Nepal has completed a full six-year term since the restoration of democracy in 1990.
Sharma holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Nepal Law Campus and a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Pune, India. He also earned a PhD specializing in labor law.
Before joining the Supreme Court, Sharma served as an additional judge at the Appellate Court. He later left office after the temporary judge system was abolished. During the tenure of former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, Sharma was recommended and subsequently endorsed through parliamentary hearings as a Supreme Court justice.
The Judicial Council’s decision has triggered fresh debate over judicial seniority, institutional practices, and leadership selection within Nepal’s judiciary. The upcoming parliamentary hearing process is now expected to draw significant national attention, particularly from legal experts, political observers, and governance analysts monitoring Nepal’s judicial reforms and constitutional institutions.
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