Kathmandu-The path is now clear for Nepal Rastra Bank Executive Director Dr. Gunakar Bhatta to become the next Governor.

A joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Til Prasad Shrestha and Bal Krishna Dhakal has not issue any decision  on a supplementary writ petition filed against him.

Although the law allows executive directors to be nominated as Governor without resigning, advocates Bishal Thapa and Pratibha Upreti challenged Bhatta’s eligibility based on media reports.

They named the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Finance Ministry, Nepal Rastra Bank, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Bhatta himself as defendants.

Earlier, the same petitioners had opposed the government’s amendment allowing individuals over 65 to lead public bodies, including the NRB.

The Supreme Court had issued an interim order halting the implementation of the new age criteria and had scheduled hearings, but the case was postponed five times.

On Wednesday, the Court extended the interim order.

With the dismissal of the petition, Bhatta’s appointment can now proceed. The Nepali Congress has already proposed his name to Prime Minister Oli.

Meanwhile, Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana has refused to accept Bhatta’s resignation, reportedly due to rivalry.

The Governor Recommendation Committee remains vacant after former Governor Bijay Nath Bhattarai resigned. The government had formed the committee under Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, with Bishwanath Paudel and Bhattarai as members.

The vacant position may be filled by either Dr. Tilak Rawal or Chiranjivi Nepal.