Kathmandu. Janak Raj Sharma, joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance, has been appointed as the chairman of Nepal Insurance Authority (NEA).
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on September 24 appointed Sharma as the chairman of the Insurance Authority. He took the oath of office and secrecy from Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal on September 26. Sharma will take charge of the post from today.
Earlier, a meeting of the Council of Ministers led by KP Sharma Oli on July 15 had decided to appoint joint-secretary Sevantak Pokhrel as the chairman of the board of directors of the Insurance Authority (NEA) until further arrangements. The Sushila Karki-led interim government has recalled him from the NRA.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers had formed a three-member probe committee under the chairmanship of former High Court Justice Krishna Giri as per Clause 12 (2) of the Insurance Act-2079 BS. After the formation of the investigation committee, Ojha was automatically suspended.
Ojha had filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court demanding an interim order to reinstate and annul the decision of the Council of Ministers to sack him. The Supreme Court had issued an interim order on September 7 to keep the status quo without implementing the decisions of the Council of Ministers.
Ojha, who was suspended by the Insurance Authority, had reported to the office on September 14 based on the interim order of the Supreme Court. However, the interim government on September 18 had barred Ojha from continuing his duties as the chairman of the Insurance Authority.
