The constitutional body is likely to recommend names for permanent positions. But it was not immediately clear how many would make it to the list. Sources in JC maintain that the body may also recommend names for temporary justices. Nepal Bar Association, the umbrella organisation of lawyers, has urged the JC to make bulk recommendation including those for temporary positions.

“But there is the possibility that only a few names could be recommended for permanent positions from among judicial cadres,” said a highly placed source at the Council. The effort was to maintain a ratio of 60/40 while recommending names from judiciary cadres and the lawyers' fraternity.

Among the likely candidates from the cadres include Baidya Nath Upadhyay, who was one of the five justices to leave office recently. He is currently the chief judge of Hetauda Appellate Court. Others include Gopal Parajuli, Deepak Raj Joshi, Govinda Upadhyay, Om Prakash Mishra, and Meera Khadka.

The fate of other justices—Prakash Wosti, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Bharat Bahadur Karki who left office along with Upadhyay—remains unclear.

Probable names from among the lawyers include Prakash Raut, Yuvraj Sangraula, Hari Upreti, Govinda Sharma Poudel, Tulsi Bhatta, Borna Bahadur Karki and Chandeshwor Shrestha. However, they are likely to be recommended for temporary positions.

Appointment of justices in apex court has been a pressing issue as over 17,000 cases remain backlog. These appointments have been delayed by almost three years for various reasons, the most prominent being the absence of parliament following the dissolution of Constituent Assembly in May, 2012.