Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan has refused to sign a decree appointing Vazgen Sahakyan as a judge and has referred the matter to the Constitutional Court.

The Supreme Judicial Council submitted Sahakyan’s candidacy on March 12 for a judgeship at the Syunik Regional Court of General Jurisdiction. The president forwarded the issue to the Constitutional Court to assess its constitutionality, Pastinfo reports.

According to some reports, the candidate’s integrity did not receive a fully positive evaluation, while the Supreme Judicial Council presented his nomination without sufficient justification.

The Constitutional Court has already accepted the application for proceedings. The hearing was set to begin on March 31 under a written procedure, with Judge Edgar Shatiryan appointed as rapporteur. The Supreme Judicial Council is involved as the respondent. Constitutional Court Judge Davit Khachaturyan, who previously served as a member of the Council, has recused himself. Additionally, the court has formally requested relevant documents from the presidential staff and the Supreme Judicial Council.

According to information in the list of judicial candidates, 37-year-old Vazgen Sahakyan is currently unemployed.