Kathmandu, June 21 -- A day after President Ramchandra Paudel promulgated an ordinance amending the Constitutional Council (Functions, Duties, Powers and Procedures) Act, the Constitutional Council convened on May 7, recommending Manoj Kumar Sharma for appointment as chief justice.

Since then, however, the council has made no further recommendations, even though 19 positions, including chairs and members of various constitutional commissions, have remained vacant for prolonged periods.

Article 284(3) of Nepal's Constitution requires the Constitutional Council to recommend appointments to constitutional bodies at least one month before a vacancy arises. Yet months after several key posts fell vacant, the council has shown little urgency ...