With Monday’s Cabinet meeting endorsing the recommendations of Judicial Service Commission, Nripadhwoj Niroula assumed office as the chief registrar of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The meeting of the Judicial Service Commission led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana on January 22 had recommended the promotion of council’s Secretary Niroula to the post of chief registrar of the apex court.

Chief Registrar of the apex court Rajan Bhattarai was appointed as chief judge at Patan High Court on January 21.

When then chief justice Gopal Parajuli ran into controversy over his citizenship certificates and academic documents, Niroula in capacity of the Judicial Council secretary had on March 14 last year issued a letter saying Parajuli’s term as the chief justice had been over as per his date of birth. A chief justice gets mandatory retirement at the age of 65.

The move, however, had been contested by some legal experts, who said a Judicial Council secretary did not hold the right to do so.

Born at Aaiselukharka of Khotang district on February 8, 1972, Niroula had joined judicial services as a section officer 23 years ago.

Monday’s Cabinet meeting also decided to promote Lal Bahadur Kunwar as the registrar of the apex court. Kunwar also assumed office on Tuesday.

The January 22 meeting of the Judicial Service Commission had also decided to appoint Devendra Raj Dhakal as the secretary of the Judicial Council to replace Niroula.