Kathmandu, April 19 -- As the government is set to appoint a new governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, a supplementary writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on Friday to prevent Gunakar Bhatta's potential appointment to the post.

Bhatta, who served as executive director of the central bank until Friday, has emerged as a frontrunner for the top post.

The same petitioners had earlier filed a writ petition against a government decision to revise the age limit to allow individuals over the age of 65 to be appointed as officials or members of the public bodies including the Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank. The Supreme Court on April 15 issued a short-term interim order barring the government from enforcing the revised criteria.

Bhatt...