Kathmandu. In the last 10 months, the Nepal Insurance Authority (NEA) has got five chairpersons. After the change of chairman in less than 2-2 months of the four-year term, the employees of the NRA have started saying that the work of the NRA is in disarray.
The authority is in trouble due to the unnecessary interference of the government. Surya Prasad Silwal, Sharad Ojha, Madan Kumar Dahal, Sewantak Pokharel and Janak Raj Sharma have headed the NEA in the last 10 months.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed a corruption case against Silwal at the Special Court less than 2 months before he was due to complete his term. The Special Court acquitted Silwal after a speedy hearing. But by then his term had ended.
In the case of Silwal’s acquittal by the Special Court, the CIAA must have been influenced by the CIAA to file a serious corruption case against Silwal with malafide intention or the special court should have given verdict in his favor despite having strong evidence against him. One of these two is certainly true.
Lately, Sharad Ojha has been trying to get back to his post on the basis of a court order despite proving his disqualification (not working in a managerial position in the concerned area for 5 years). He appeared at the NRA office on September 14 with a temporary order from the Supreme Court after the government relieved him of his post on September 18. However, on September 18, the Ministry of Finance had to issue a letter to the NRA not to present him.
The Supreme Court did not consider it appropriate to issue an interim order in response to a writ petition filed at the apex court claiming that Ojha was appointed to the post of chairman on the basis of fake documents despite not meeting the qualifications stipulated by the Insurance Act, 2079. The next date of hearing has been fixed for November 1.
He was suspended from July 13 after the government decided to form a probe committee against Ojha after the court postponed the hearing for a long time. The Ministry of Finance had sought clarification from Ojha on the recommendation of the probe committee on September 26. However, a meeting of the Council of Ministers held on August 18 had relieved Ojha of his post citing lack of 5 years of top managerial experience in the concerned sector.
Ojha filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court challenging the cabinet’s decision to sack him. The Supreme Court had issued a temporary order on September 23, giving priority to his writ. Ojha is trying to reinstate the post of president with the same order.
Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Madan Dahal had served as the chairman of the NRA for 2 more months than Ojha’s appointment. After Ojha, another joint-secretary Sewantak Pokharel became the chairman for 2 more months. However, the interim government formed after the Jenji agitation has removed Pokharel and appointed joint secretary Janak Raj Sharma as the chairman of the NRA from September 26.
Two parallel employees unions of the Insurance Authority (NEA) and Nepal Insurance Authority Employees Union had filed a joint petition demanding an end to the dispute over the appointment of the chairperson at the earliest.
The crisis seen in the appointment of the chairman of the authority has created frustration among the employees and all the stakeholders of the insurance sector, while on the other hand, the important works of the authority are in limbo. At present, the NEA has slowed down other works except the daily works.
