A meeting of the Constitutional Council (CC) failed to recommend the name of next Chief Justice due to the absence of the main opposition’s parliamentary party leader on Tuesday. 

The meeting was scheduled to recommend the name of Supreme Court senior most justice Sushila Karki for the top judiciary post. 

The meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar could not execute the scheduled agenda in the absence of the parliamentary leader from the main opposition Nepali Congress, according to Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Agni Kharel. 

Sitting CJ Kalyan Shrestha is retiring on April 13. As per the constitutional provision, CC recommends the name for the appointment of CJ. 

The main opposition NC is yet to choose the new parliamentary party leader as the post has been lying vacant since the demise of Sushil Koirala. 

The next meeting of CC has been scheduled for April 8, while the NC is holding the election of the parliamentary party leader on April 6. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker Onsari Gharti, Chief Justice Shrestha and Minister Kharel were present in Tuesday’s meeting.