A meeting of the Constitutional Council failed to name the new chief justice after a number of key members failed to find time for a discussion on Monday.

On November 23, the Judicial Council recommended senior Justices Deepak Raj Joshee and Cholendra Shumsher Rana for the top job at the Supreme Court. However, the chances of senior most Justice Joshee being appointed to head the judiciary are slim, given that his nomination was previously turned down by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.

On Monday, opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba was unable to find time for discussion in his rush to attend the ongoing Central Working Committee meeting of the Nepali Congress while Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara left for Biratnagar.

Another member of the Constitutional Council (CC) Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe will arrive from her UK visit on Friday.

“The next meeting of the CC will take necessary decisions on Saturday after studying the issue further,” said Ganesh Timilsina, chairman of the National Assembly.

Besides naming the new chief justice candidate, the CC will also finalise leaders of the constitutional commissions, said Bhanu Deuba, personal secretary to NC President Deuba.

The new constitution provisions Muslim Commission; Tharu Commission; Madhesi Commission; Indigenous Nationalities Commission; and National Inclusive Commission, among others while giving constitutional status to the existing National Dalit Commission and the National Women Commission.

The government recently deputed six joint-secretaries from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to manage necessary infrastructure for the new commissions.

An officer at the Prime Minister’s Office said he was preparing a report of the applicants for various positions of the newly formed commissions to be presented at the Cabinet meeting. The newly formed National Natural Resources and Finance Commission is yet to get its leadership.

The CC led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mahara, National Assembly Chairman Timilsina; opposition leader Deuba and Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Tumbahangphe as members.