Mar 31, Kathmandu - Senior Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla is set to assume the leadership of Nepal's Supreme Court as the acting Chief Justice. Starting Wednesday, Malla will serve as the Acting Chief Justice until a permanent appointment is made.

This transition follows the retirement of Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, who is scheduled to retire today (Tuesday). The Supreme Court's spokesperson, Arjun Prasad Koirala, confirmed that a farewell program for Raut has been arranged today. Justice Raut is retiring upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65, having been appointed as the Chief Justice on Ashwin 20, 2081 BS. He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge eight years prior, after serving as a senior advocate.

With this change, Sapana Pradhan Malla becomes the second woman to lead Nepal's Supreme Court, after Sushila Karki, the country's first female Chief Justice. For now, Malla will serve as the Acting Chief Justice.

The Judicial Council has recommended six judges, including Malla, for the position of Chief Justice. However, due to vacancies in the Constitutional Council comprising the Prime Minister, Speaker of the House, Chairperson of the National Assembly, opposition leader, and the Chief Justice an immediate appointment is unlikely. Currently, only the Prime Minister and the National Assembly President are members of the Council. As the Acting Chief Justice, Malla will represent the judiciary in this process.

The newly elected House of Representatives is scheduled to convene on Thursday, after which the process for selecting the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will commence. The opposition leader in Parliament will come from the Congress Party, which has yet to select its parliamentary leader.

If appointed as the Chief Justice, Sapana Pradhan Malla will serve in this capacity for nearly three years, until Kartik 30, 2085 BS. She was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on Shrawan 17, 2073 BS, and will continue as Acting Chief Justice until a formal appointment is made.