Miscellaneous
Eight ministers submit property details
As many as eight ministers, including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, have submitted their property details so far, according to Prime Minister’s Office. PMO Secretary Buddhi Bahadur Khadka said that his office received property details from at least eight ministers by Wednesday.As many as eight ministers, including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, have submitted their property details so far, according to Prime Minister’s Office. PMO Secretary Buddhi Bahadur Khadka said that his office received property details from at least eight ministers by Wednesday.
Besides PM Oli, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lal Babu Pandit and Minister for Women, Children and Elderly Citizens Tham Maya Thapa, who were the first to take oath of office on February 15, submitted their property details within the deadline set by the law, Khadka said. They were supposed to submit the details within April 15.
Defence Minister Ishwor Pokharel has also submitted his property details, according to the PMO. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Tamang was the first minister in the Oli Cabinet to reveal his property details, making the announcement at a press meet on March 19, three days after assuming office.
Likewise, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Girirajmani Pokharel has also made public his property details.
“Making public property details at the earliest in line with past Cabinet decision is a moral question rather than a legal one,” said Surya Nath Upadhyay, former chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
He said that it would be better if the tradition of ministers making public their property details after the dissolution of Cabinet or exit from the Cabinet as well. After property details are submitted, the National Vigilance Centre combines the details from all those holding public office and submits report to the CIAA.
‘MPs furnish papers’
A total of 101 lawmakers of the House of Representatives and 28 members of the National Assembly have submitted their property details until Monday, according to the Parliamentary Secretariat. As the lawmakers from both the Houses were sworn-in on March 4, they still have time to submit their property details—until May 2—as per the Corruption Prevention Act-2002. A provision under the Act requires the lawmakers to submit their property details within 60 days after assuming office. The country has the 275-member Lower House and 59-member Upper House.
Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Bharat Raj Gautam said they have been receiving property details and expected to collect details from all the lawmakers within the deadline.