The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld its earlier interim order barring the government from enforcing newly amended criteria that would have allowed individuals over the age of 65 to be appointed governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), effectively reinstating the age limit for the post.

A division bench of justices Til Prasad Shrestha and Bal Krishna Dhakal continued the court’s short-term order issued on April 15 by Justice Nityananda Pandey in response to a writ petition challenging the amendment to public appointment guidelines.

The government had amended the criteria on March 11 through a revision to the Guidelines on Appointments and Nominations to Public Bodies under the Finance Ministry. The amendment removed the provision in Section 3(g), which previously disqualified candidates over the age of 65 from becoming NRB governor.

Petitioners, including advocate Bishal Thapa, had filed the writ arguing that arbitrarily altering previously established qualifications undermines good governance and contravenes legal provisions. They questioned the legitimacy of modifying criteria to suit specific individuals.

Following the initial interim order, a supplementary petition was filed on April 18 objecting to the potential appointment of NRB Executive Director Gunakar Bhatta, who has emerged as the leading candidate for the governorship. The Supreme Court, however, has not issued any specific order regarding this supplementary filing, indirectly keeping the door open for Bhatta’s nomination.

The appointment process has drawn national attention amid allegations of political horse-trading and financial interests. Bhatta resigned from his role as Executive Director, although his resignation has yet to be formally accepted by Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana, another contender for the post.

Earlier petitions had also challenged the government’s discretion in bypassing the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, which stipulates that only recognised experts or deputy governors should be shortlisted for the governor post. The three-member recommendation committee, led by Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, has yet to formally propose a name.

The post of governor became vacant after Maha Prasad Adhikari retired on April 4.