Kathmandu. The Ministry of Finance has removed Sewantak Pokharel from the post of chairman of Nepal Insurance Authority.
According to Tanka Pandey, spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, joint secretary Janak Sharma has been transferred as a director of the Insurance Authority. “Pokharel, who was representing the Ministry of Finance, has been called back from the Insurance Authority. Sharma has been sent to the post of NRA director in his place,” Pandey said, “The next cabinet meeting can give the responsibility of the chairman of the NRA to Sharma.” ’
Earlier, a cabinet meeting led by KP Sharma Oli on July 15 had decided to designate Joint-Secretary Pokharel as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Authority (NEA) until further arrangement.
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.
