The recommendation committee led by former chief justice Om Prakash Mishra met on Monday, but, once again, the members of the committee left without nominating the new leadership for the two transitional justice bodies.

The recommendation committee formed by the Cabinet in March has an independent jurisdiction to select the chairpersons and members for the commissions. However, it is waiting for the political parties to finalise seat-sharing before recommending the names. The committee a week ago had asked the government officials at its secretariat to prepare for finalising the selection process on Monday. As the parties were busy with negotiations, the committee was expecting that they would reach an agreement before the stipulated meeting.

The meeting has now been postponed till June 23.

“Lack of consensus among the parties led to the deferral of the recommendation committee’s meeting,” said an official at the secretariat seeking anonymity because he was not allowed to talk to the media. The committee has cited Mishra’s busy schedule for the postponement of the meeting.

Ram Nath Mainali, a member of the committee, said it was wrong to say they are waiting for consensus among the parties for the recommendation. However, he said the committee will seek the government’s consent before recommending the names.

A total of 57 applicants including retired Supreme Court justice and government secretaries have applied for the chairpersons and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the Commission for Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

“We can nominate people other than the applicants. We are currently looking for those who can function effectively,” Mainali told the Post.

Leaderships of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and the Nepali Congress have held rounds of negotiations to finalise the portfolio-sharing but they haven’t reached a consensus on who would lead the truth commission. The ruling party wants its confidantes to lead the commission even as the main opposition does not relent.

The Congress has floated the name of former attorney general Badri Bahadur Karki to steer the commission. The ruling party, however, wants the Congress to settle with the chairperson of the disappearance commission.

Officials familiar with the development told the Post that the parties will resume the negotiations once Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli returns from his Europe visit.

“The names will be finalised once the parties settle the contention on the leadership of the truth commission,” said the official.

Former Supreme Court justice Kamal Narayan Das, former appellate court chief judge duo Ali Akbar Mikrani and Kalauddhin Akhtar Ansari, and former government secretary Madhu Regmi are among the applicants for the chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, there are slim chances that any of the applicants will be appointed.