2 min readKathmandu (nepal)May 5, 2026 05:24 AM IST
Nepal’s cabinet on Monday decided to resend a Constitutional Council-related ordinance to President Ramchandra Paudel without making any changes, after he returned it for reconsideration, government officials said.
The ordinance seeks to amend the law governing the composition and powers of the six-member Constitutional Council, which recommends appointments for the chief justice and judges of the Supreme Court, ambassadors, commissioners and heads of all 13 constitutional commissions.
The cabinet, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, had forwarded the ordinance to Paudel on April 27. On Sunday, the president returned it to the government, saying it required further review and reconsideration.
The decision to resend the ordinance was taken at a cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Sasmit Pokhrel said.
If endorsed, the ordinance would give the government greater authority in the process of selecting candidates for the judiciary, diplomatic missions and constitutional bodies.
The six-member council is headed by the prime minister and includes the chairman of the upper house, the speaker, the deputy speaker, the leader of the opposition in House of Representatives and the chief justice.
At present, the prime minister and the speaker belong to the ruling party, while the acting chief justice is considered neutral. The deputy speaker and the leader of the opposition belong to the RSP and the Nepali Congress, respectively.
