Nepali likely to pick woman CJ; Constitutional Council recommends Karki for CJ

Kathmandu / April 10: The Constitutional Council has recommended the most senior Supreme Court Justice Sushila Karki for the position of new Chief Justice.

Karki, who began legal practive in March 1979, will be the first woman to lead Nepal’s judiciary. The recommendation is subject to the endorsement from the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee and the appointment from the President.

Incumbent CJ Kalyan Shrestha retires on April 13. Traditionally, the chief justice goes on a leave a month before his term expires.

Karki’s nomination is considered as yet another milestone in women’s leadership in the state mechanism. Last year, Nepal elected Bidhya Devi Bhandari as the President and Onsari Gharti as the Speaker of Parliament.

Born on June 7, 1952, Karki was appointed the Ad-Hoc Justice at the Supreme Court on January 22, 2009. She was promoted to the Permanent Justice on November 18. 2010. She will remain at the helm for around 13 months.