Sharma Recommended for Supreme Court Chief Justice

Justice Dr. Manoj Sharma of the Supreme Court has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice. The Constitutional Council today put forward Sharma’s name for the proposed Chief Justice at the Supreme Court.

In Nepal’s judicial history, this is the first time that a justice fourth in seniority has been recommended for Chief Justice instead of the senior most justice. If the Parliamentary Hearing Committee endorses his name, Sharma will become the 33rd Chief Justice of the country. Sharma, who was appointed as a Supreme Court Justice on 19 April 2019, will serve a full six-year term as Chief Justice if approved.

The Constitutional Council recommended Sharma, who is fourth in seniority, ahead of acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and senior justice Kumar Regmi and Hari Phuyal.

Born on 17 June 1970 in Parsa, Sharma will reach the retirement age of 65 only on 17 June 2035. Since the restoration of democracy, no Chief Justice has completed a full six-year term.

Sharma completed his bachelor’s degree in law from Nepal Law Campus and a master’s degree in law from Pune University in India. He also completed a PhD in labor law. Sharma was initially appointed as an Additional Judge in the Court of Appeal, and retired when the provision for temporary judges was abolished.

Later, during the tenure of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana, Sharma was recommended as a Supreme Court Justice and approved through the parliamentary hearing process.