Chief Minister Mangal Bahadur Shahi Fails to Submit Asset Details Within Deadline

Surkhet. The current Chief Minister Mangal Bahadur Shahi used to talk endlessly about good governance when in opposition. Even when he took office as Chief Minister on July 13, he made decisions related to administrative reforms for good governance. Shahi talks about accountability, transparency, responsibility, and the rule of law. However, even after two months of becoming Chief Minister, he has not made his asset details public. Section 50 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2059, mandates that a person holding a public office must submit an updated statement of assets owned by themselves and their family, along with their source or proof, to the government within 60 days of assuming office and within 60 days of the end of each financial year thereafter. The team of former Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi had started the practice of making asset details public through press conferences. Subsequent Chief Ministers and ministers also used to make their asset details public on the website of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers' office before the 60-day deadline. In the time of Yamlal Kandel, it was made public only after news was published. Currently, the government led by Mangal Bahadur Shahi has also not made its asset details public. Tuesday marks 63 days since he was appointed Chief Minister. Shahi was appointed Chief Minister on July 12 with the support of the CPN-UML. However, his asset details have not been made public yet. Nirmala Regmi, Undersecretary and Records Branch of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers' office, stated that the Chief Minister's asset details have been received, but they have not been made public. When asked why they were kept secret, she said that the asset details of other ministers have not yet been received. 'Only the details of the Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Kal Bahadur Hamal, have arrived today,' she told Ratopati, 'Since the details of other ministers have not arrived, we will make the Chief Minister's public at the same time.' According to her, other ministers besides the Chief Minister have time remaining to submit their asset details. Ministers appointed from the CPN-UML, namely Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning Tekraj Pachai, Minister of Social Development Jeet Bahadur Malla, and Minister of Water Resources and Energy Kal Bahadur Hamal, were appointed on August 19. Similarly, ministers appointed from the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), namely Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development Milan Khadka Roka, Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Kalyani Khadka, and Minister of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Jumkit Lama, were appointed on August 27. Advocate Upendra Kumar Rawat says that good governance must be practiced by the leadership itself. He stated that it is the responsibility of all government officials and employees to comply with the provision that individuals holding public office must make their asset details public within 60 days. 'The Chief Minister's job is to monitor whether ministers and employees comply with the provision or not,' he says, 'but those who talk about good governance are seen not to implement it in practice.' He gave the example that even during the time of Yamlal Kandel, the asset details of the Chief Minister and ministers were made public much later. He states that the provisions made by the state should not be ignored. He adds, 'They have to follow the law; this provision is made to check what assets a person holding a public office has, and whether they might acquire assets through illicit means in the future. The responsibility of establishing good governance lies with the leadership.' He points out that questions will arise as to how a government that delays making asset details public will lay the foundation for good governance. There is also a provision for a fine of five thousand rupees for individuals holding public office who fail to submit their asset details on time, which is their duty.