Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called a meeting of the constitutional council for Thursday at 5:00 pm, according to the prime minister’s secretariat.

This will be the first meeting of the council chaired by Shah since he assumed office as prime minister on March 27.

The meeting follows the government’s recent introduction of an ordinance on the constitutional council. Under the revised provision, decisions can be taken if at least three of the six members agree.

According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the meeting is expected to focus on the appointment of a new chief justice. The Supreme Court has been without a permanent chief following the retirement of then chief justice Prakash Man Singh Raut on March 31.

Senior-most justice Sapana Pradhan Malla is currently serving as officiating chief justice.

Alongside the judiciary, the council is also expected to consider appointments to several vacant positions in constitutional bodies, including the Election Commission.

The constitutional council is chaired by the prime minister and comprises the chief justice, speaker and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, chairperson of the National Assembly and the leader of the main opposition party in the parliament.