The meeting of the Constitutional Council has decided to nominate the seniormost justice of the Supreme Court Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha for the new Chief Justice.

The meeting of the Constitutional Council held Thursday unanimously nominated seniormost justice Shrestha for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said National Assembly chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, who is also a member of the council.

His nomination needs to be approved by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee before the President appoints him. The entire process takes around a month. Shrestha will lead the judiciary as an acting chief justice starting August 6 until the appointment of the chief justice by the President.

The constitution requires the council to nominate a chief justice candidate a month before the position becomes vacant. Had the prime minister-led mechanism abided by Article 284 of the constitution, it would have recommended Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki’s successor three weeks ago. Karki retires Saturday.