The Supreme Court had prepared to deliver its verdict today regarding the appointment of 52 officials to constitutional positions, but the date for announcing the decision has been postponed.
Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut and Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Kumar Chudal, and Nahakul Subedi held discussions on the case on Wednesday afternoon. However, as the discussions remained inconclusive, the Supreme Court has deferred the verdict.
The court will now deliver its verdict on July 2, according to Supreme Court spokesperson Achyut Kuinkel.
"They were engaged in discussions until 5 p.m. today. As the matter is still under review and could not be finalized today, the date for announcing the verdict has been set for July 2," he said.
Writ petitions were filed against the appointments made by the then KP Sharma Oli-led government, which had amended laws through ordinances to appoint officials in constitutional bodies such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and the Election Commission.
The then Oli government amended the Constitutional Council Act twice through ordinances and made appointments to constitutional bodies on both occasions.
The Oli-led government first recommended 32 individuals for appointments on December 15, 2020, after bringing an ordinance. It made the appointments on February 3, 2021.
The second time, it recommended 20 individuals in April 2021 and appointed them on June 24, 2021.
The Constitutional Council is chaired by the prime minister. It also includes the speaker of the House of Representatives, the chief justice, the leader of the main opposition party, the chairperson of the National Assembly, and the deputy speaker as members.
According to law, the council was required to recommend officials for appointments to constitutional bodies by consensus or majority decision with all members present. This law was amended through ordinances to allow decisions by a majority of those present.
At a meeting held after the issuance of the two ordinances, then-prime minister Oli, then-chief justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, and then-chairperson of the National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina appointed officials to constitutional bodies.
Senior advocates Om Prakash Aryal, Dinesh Tripathi, and others filed separate writ petitions against the ordinances and appointments.
The Supreme Court is now set to deliver its verdict long after the petitions were filed.
Hearings on the case began on February 12 this year. On May 15, the bench ordered the submission of argument notes by May 30 and scheduled the verdict hearing for June 11 (Thursday).
