Kathmandu, May 20 -- Manoj Kumar Sharma took charge as chief justice of the Supreme Court on Tuesday with unopposed endorsement from the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, even as the judiciary remains divided over the bypassing of seniority in the selection process.

In the evening, he was sworn in by President Ram Chandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas.

The Prime Minister Balendra Shah-led Constitutional Council, on May 7, recommended Sharma, who was fourth on the seniority list, by a majority vote, despite reservations from two of the six members. Twelve days later, he was unanimously endorsed by the parliamentary hearing committee, although representatives from the Nepali Congress in the House of Representatives abstained.

Not only was the l...