Kathmandu, Aug 22: Retired Nepali Army officers are emerging as prominent choices for key government appointments as the Balendra Shah administration moves to fill vacancies created across public institutions following the Gen Z protests.
The latest appointment is retired Brigadier General Dharmendra Kumar Jha, who has been named expert secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development by Minister Sunil Lamsal. The post carries the status of a government secretary. Under government rules, ministers can appoint up to five experts with equivalent rank.
Former Colonel Dr Anand Singh Bhat has also been appointed executive chairperson of the High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilization. Bhat retired from the army in 2073 BS. His selection has attracted attention because he ranked second on the ministry’s shortlist. Dr Bikash Devkota had topped the list, followed by Bhat and Sangita Yadav.
Prime Minister Shah has separately appointed retired Brigadier General Dr Devendra Khatri as vice chairperson of the Medical Education Commission. Khatri, who served as a technical chief in the army, retired in 2077 BS.
Retired Major General Dr Deepak Prasad Bastola was appointed to the Nepal Airlines Corporation board, although the Supreme Court later overturned his appointment following a legal challenge over the selection process.
The appointments come as the government races to fill posts vacated after the Special Provisions Relating to the Removal of Public Officials Ordinance, 2083 BS, amended 110 laws and removed 1,534 officials from public institutions. Some were subsequently reinstated.
Government sources say more than half of the vacant positions have now been filled, while appointments to several other posts remain pending.
The Supreme Court has also recently annulled the appointment of Maheshwor Bhakta Shrestha as Nepal Airlines chairman, ruling that his selection did not comply with legal provisions. The ruling came on a writ petition filed by board member Upendra Bahadur Karki against the prime minister and the Office of the Council of Ministers.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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