The senior-most justice of the Supreme Court, Sapana Pradhan Malla, has gone on a 20-day leave.
Malla, who was reportedly dissatisfied after the appointment of Manoj Kumar Sharma as chief justice, took the leave on Tuesday.
Typically, a justice’s leave request is submitted to the chief justice for approval. However, before Sharma assumed office as chief justice, Malla approved her own leave while serving as the acting chief justice.
Supreme Court spokesperson and Joint Registrar Arjun Prasad Koirala confirmed that Malla has taken a 20-day leave. "She approved her own 20-day leave yesterday," he said.
Malla was dissatisfied after the Constitutional Council bypassed her – who was first in the seniority ranking in the Supreme Court – as well as second-ranked Justice Kumar Regmi and third-ranked Hari Prasad Phuyal to recommend Sharma, who was ranked fourth, for the position of chief justice. Until Tuesday, Malla had been serving as the acting chief justice.
Furthermore, after Sharma was sworn in by President Ram Chandra Paudel on Tuesday, Malla was not present at the Supreme Court to welcome him. Instead, Justice Kumar Regmi, who ranks next in seniority, welcomed Sharma.
