KATHMANDU: Acting Chief Justice Sapna Pradhan Malla has said justice cannot be administered under fear, intimidation, or political influence, warning that even a government with a two-thirds majority should not expect the judiciary to function under pressure or threats of impeachment.

Addressing a Law Day event at the National City Hall on Friday, Malla called on members of the legal fraternity to work with “indomitable courage” and uphold the rule of law.

Her remarks came two days after the Constitutional Council recommended fourth-ranked Supreme Court Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma for appointment as the next chief justice.

Sharma was fourth in seniority among the six names recommended earlier by the Judicial Council.

Acting Chief Justice Malla, who was first in line by seniority, was bypassed in the recommendation process.

The recommendation has sparked controversy within political and legal circles.

Opposition leaders have criticized Prime Minister Balen Shah for forwarding Sharma’s name for the top judicial post.

Two members of the six-member Constitutional Council, National Assembly Chair Narayan Dahal and the leader of the main opposition in Parliament, Bhishma Raj Angdembe, registered notes of dissent against the recommendation.

Amid the growing dispute, neither recommended Chief Justice nominee Sharma nor Acting Chief Justice Malla sat on any regular benches on Friday.

In her speech, Malla warned that manipulating legal traditions and constitutional procedures for vested interests reflects authoritarian tendencies and weakens constitutional morality.

Referring to a past remark by the Speaker questioning whether the judiciary could match the government’s “speed,” Malla said the judiciary functions according to the “spirit” of the Constitution and can only improve efficiency if provided adequate resources, not political pressure.

She also urged the Nepal Bar Association, civil society, and the media to protect the independence and dignity of the judiciary from what she described as structural conspiracies.