The Constitutional Council on Monday recommended Supreme Court Justice Sushila Karki for the post of chief justice. She will be the first female to lead the judiciary in Nepal. The Constitutional Council, meeting on Sunday evening, decided to recommend Karki's name for parliamentary hearings towards appointment as chief justice. As per the constitution, the president of the country appoints the chief justice on the recommendation of the council if the Parliamentary Hearings Committee endorses the recommendation. According to the Prime Minister's Press Advisor, Pramod Dahal, PM KP Sharma Oli met Speaker Onsari Gharti at Sumeru Hospital, where she is ungoing treatment, and took her consent for the recommendation. Incumbent Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha retires on Wednesday upon reaching the age limit.
Sushila Karki will become the 26th chief justice and the first female in the post in Nepal's history. She will lead the judiciary for almost 14 months, until she retires on June 7, 2017 upon reaching the age limit. Karki was appointed ad-hoc justice at the Supreme Court on January 22, 2009 and as permanent justice on November 18, 2010.