Kathmandu, May 8 -- Nepal's Constitutional Council has breached the seniority rule, in practice for seven decades, while picking the chief justice of the Supreme Court. The council, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, recommended Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma, the fourth-ranking judge in the top court, amid reservations from two of its members.

The council ignored Sapana Pradhan Malla, the senior-most justice, and Kumar Regmi, and Hari Prasad Phuyal, who were ahead of him, while choosing Sharma as the 33rd chief justice. In the six-member council, the National Assembly chair and the leader of the opposition registered their dissent to the decision.

Malla has been acting chief justice after Prakash Man Singh Raut retired as the chief of th...