KATHMANDU, Nepal, May 19 (ANI): Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma formally assumed office as Nepal’s Chief Justice following his appointment and oath ceremony on Tuesday, concluding a process that had drawn significant political and legal attention in recent weeks.
President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Sharma after his nomination was unanimously approved by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.
Following the appointment, Sharma took the oath of office and is expected to begin his responsibilities at the Supreme Court from Wednesday, including overseeing bench allocation and daily case management.
With the appointment, Sharma becomes Nepal’s 33rd Chief Justice and will serve a six-year term under Article 129(4) of the Constitution.
His elevation attracted attention after the Constitutional Council selected him despite him being fourth in the Supreme Court seniority order, departing from the judiciary’s long-standing seniority-based convention.
The council chose Sharma over Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and senior justices Kumar Regmi and Hari Prasad Phuyal.
The decision reportedly sparked disagreement within the Constitutional Council, with National Assembly Chair Narayan Dahal and opposition representative Bhishmaraj Angdembe expressing concern over the move away from established judicial tradition.
Critics argued that Nepal’s judiciary has historically followed seniority in selecting the Chief Justice and warned against altering the practice without strong institutional justification.
Supporters of the decision, however, said merit, professional competence, and judicial experience should carry greater weight than seniority alone in appointing the head of the judiciary.
The appointment also prompted debate among legal experts and stakeholders, including the Nepal Bar Association, some of whom raised concerns that bypassing senior judges without a clear explanation could create perceptions of executive influence over judicial appointments.
Born in Birgunj, Parsa district, on June 18, 1970, Sharma holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Nepal Law Campus in Kathmandu, a Master of Laws degree from the University of Pune in India, and a PhD in Labour Law from Tribhuvan University.
He began legal practice in the 1990s before joining the judiciary, serving as an appellate court judge and later being appointed to the Supreme Court on April 18, 2019.
Since February 2024, Sharma has served on the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court and has participated in several national and international legal forums focused on judicial reform and access to justice.
His appointment is being viewed as a significant moment in Nepal’s judicial history due to the break from the traditional seniority convention in Supreme Court leadership transitions.
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