The Election Commission has sought clarification from Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Dev for transferring Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) Director General Sanjiv Gautam to the ministry without consulting the commission. 

A meeting of the EC presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav on Thursday decided to summon Minister Dev to furnish clarification within 24 hours. 

The EC says Gautam’s transfer was against the election code of conduct. 

On September 26, Caan Director General Sanjiv Gautam was asked to stop attending his office and report to the ministry “to review the aviation policy and formulate strategies for effective implementation of national pride projects among others”. 

The move to call Gautam to the ministry was being seen as the first step towards sacking him at the behest of Minister Dev. Sacking the chief of the aviation sector regulatory body, many believe, could jeopardise initiatives taken so far to enhance air safety standards in the country. One of his biggest achievements since joining the office was to remove the tag of “significant safety concerns” put on Nepal’s aviation sector by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the global aviation watchdog, for failure to raise air safety standards.

The EC meeting on Thursday also directed National Reconstruction Authority Chief Executive Officer Govinda Pokhrel to furnish clarification within 24 hours for taking part in political programmes of the Nepali Congress (NC). 

The EC says any person holding a public post should refrain from taking part in political programmes of political parties and doing so violates the election code of conduct.