Hearing on a writ petition filed against the government’s decision to appoint Jay Bahadur Chand as the Inspector General of Nepal Police has been scheduled to continue on February 28 after the process ran out of time on Thursday.

The hearing that began on Wednesday was time consuming after many advocates took part in pleading. Advocate Kapil Dev Dhakal had filed the writ petition on February 10, accusing the government of trying to violate the rule of seniority in the appointment of the police chief. On February 12, Deputy Inspector General Nawaraj Silwal, the first in line for appointment, moved the SC seeking an order to stay Chand’s appointment.

The government appointed DIG Chand as the IG on February 12. Eighteen advocates pleaded before the division bench of Judges Hari Krishna Karki and Tej Bahadur KC on Wednesday and Thursday in favour of DIG Silwal. A similar number of advocates have registered their names for defending Chand’s appointment.