KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court published its daily cause list on Friday nearly two hours late after internal judicial discussions following the Constitutional Council’s recommendation for the next Chief Justice.

On Thursday, the Council recommended Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma, fourth in seniority, breaking the tradition of appointing the senior-most judge, prompting extended deliberations among Supreme Court justices on Friday morning.

Due to the prolonged Full Court meeting and bench allocation process, the routine lottery system was delayed, and the cause list—normally issued between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM—was published later in the morning.

While the Supreme Court cited “technical reasons” for the delay, sources linked it to ongoing internal discussions among judges.

Both Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma were not seen sitting in any bench on Friday.

Sharma had briefly attended the Full Court meeting before leaving, while Malla was also absent from bench duties.
The cause list was eventually published later in the day after the delay.