Senior justice Malla assumes acting chief justice role amid ongoing leadership row

Chief Justice Sharma’s India visit puts the senior-most justice at the helm as speculation grows over whether tensions at the Supreme Court are easing.

On Thursday, Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma left for India on a four-day official visit following an invitation from his Indian counterpart, Surya Kant. Senior-most Justice Sapna Pradhan Malla saw him off at Tribhuvan International Airport, marking her first public appearance alongside Sharma since his appointment. During his absence, Malla assumed the responsibility of acting chief justice, taking charge of the Supreme Court leadership on Friday.