Kathmandu. Nepal Insurance Authority (NEA), the regulator of the insurance sector, has received the gift of promotion in the year 2081.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case against Surya Prasad Silwal at the Special Court in Kathmandu on December 12. Silwal was automatically relieved from the post of chairman after the case was filed.
Silwal was acquitted in the case by a special court on February 15. However, his tenure was till January 15. By this time, the government had appointed Sharad Ojha as the chairman of the Insurance Authority. However, he will get his salary and services for the duration of his tenure.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on February 29 appointed Sharad Ojha as the vacant chairman of the Insurance Authority. Ojha is also the youngest chairman in the history of insurance authority.
Within a few days of his appointment as the chairman of the NRA, Ojha also suffered a major setback. A complaint was filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) in the third week of February against Ojha for submitting a fake work experience certificate and a writ petition was also filed in the Supreme Court. According to the ciaa complaint, Ojha has been successful in getting the appointment of chairman in the Insurance Authority for the last time in violation of the minimum standards of good governance.
Similarly, advocate Indira Dhamala, who is also an agent of National Life, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court against Ojha for submitting a kirte work experience certificate on March 27. A division bench of Justice Nahakul Subedi of the Supreme Court refused to pass an interim order on the writ petition. The bench issued a show-cause notice to the government for appointing Ojha and summoned both the parties for discussion.
A joint bench of Justices Binod Sharma and Mahesh Sharma Poudel held that the case against Ojha could not be heard. Now the next case will be fixed for this case.
###inline_tags_PLACEHOLDER_15#gift of #कर्मचारीलाई promotion
On March 15, the recruitment committee promoted Director Sushil Dev Subedi to the post of Executive Director on the basis of performance evaluation. Subedi will serve as executive director of NEA for five years.
Subedi is also the secretary and spokesperson of the NEA’s board of directors. He was also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Insurance Institute of Nepal (IIN), run by the Insurance Authority. However, after becoming the executive director of the AUTHORITY, he has stepped down as the CEO of IIN.
On the recommendation of the recruitment committee on March 27, the committee recommended four candidates for appointment to the post of director on the basis of performance evaluation, seniority, educational qualification and total marks obtained for training. Dhruba Timilsina, Kundan Sapkot, Shambharaj Lamichhane and Nirmal Adhikari have been promoted to the post of director.
Similarly, on the recommendation of the recruitment committee on February 15, it recommended five names for promotion to the post of deputy director. Assistant directors Sabita Thapa, Ranjita KC, Shambhu Prasad Mishra, Jamuna Aryal (Acharya) and Kedar Bhatta have been promoted.
##inline_tags_PLACEHOLDER_15#appointment of #महिला director controversial
Radha Pokharel’s appointment as a woman director of insurance authority has become controversial. A meeting of the Council of Ministers had appointed Pokharel as the woman director of the NRA for a period of four years with effect from March 15.
Although the Ministry has decided to appoint Porkhel as per the provisions of Section 7 of the Insurance Act, 2079 BS, the Act does not give the finance minister the right to appoint. This power is solely vested in the Government of Nepal i.e. the Council of Ministers. Sub-section 5 of Section 7 of the Act provides that the ‘Government of Nepal’ shall appoint members referred to in clauses d and e of Sub-section (1) of Section 6 from among the persons having the qualifications referred to in Sub-section (1) of Section 8. At the time of such appointment, at least one woman has to be appointed.
The Ministry of Finance is a part of the Executive of the Government of Nepal and the Finance Minister is only a government representative. He is not the entire Government of Nepal. Only the decisions taken by the Council of Ministers are acceptable as the decisions of the Government of Nepal. The decisions taken by the ministers are applicable only as ministerial decisions.
There is every possibility that if the process of appointment of Pokharel is challenged in the Supreme Court at a time when there is a voice about his eligibility, then the Supreme Court will cancel the order. Finance Minister Poudel has been criticised for appointing inexperienced Pokharel as the female director of nea. There has been criticism for appointing ineligible people as female directors of the AUTHORITY. According to the qualifications prescribed in Sub-section (2) of Section 6 of the Insurance Act, there have been voices that Pokharel will not have expertise and experience to be appointed as a female director.
पूर्वअध्यक्ष Kafle passes away ##inline_tags_PLACEHOLDER_17
Dr Prafulla Kumar Kafle, former chairman of insurance authority, passed away on April 12. He was the chairman of the NRA from April 1, 2058 to August 15, 2017. After retiring from the post of Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Kafle also served as the Chairman of Century Commercial Bank. In addition, Kafle was also on the board of directors of various commercial banks.
