Nepal Supreme Court annuls Nepal Airlines chairman appointment

Nepal's Supreme Court has nullified the government's decision to appoint Maheshwor Bhakta Shrestha as the executive chairman of Nepal Airlines Corporation. The court's ruling on Thursday stated that Shrestha's appointment did not comply with legal requirements.

A bench comprising Justices Sunil Kumar Pokharel and Balkrishna Dhakal found that the appointment violated government procedures. Specifically, the court cited the Standards on Appointment and Nomination of Members and Office-Bearers of Public Bodies, 2016, which stipulate that public body heads must be between 30 and 65 years old. Shrestha's appointment was challenged partly on the grounds that he was over 65 and had retired from the corporation 34 years prior.

While the court invalidated Shrestha's appointment as executive chairman and general manager, it did not substantiate claims that another petitioner, Upendra Bahadur Karki, should have been appointed chairman himself. Shrestha has been removed from the executive chairman position, necessitating a new selection process by the government. He will, however, continue to serve as a member of the board of directors.

This is not the first time Shrestha's position has been affected by a court ruling. He was among five board members whose appointments on May 14 were previously annulled by the Supreme Court, also following a writ petition filed by Karki. The government must now restart the process to find a suitable candidate for the executive chairman role.