Kathmandu, April 6: The government led by Balen Shah has appointed Dr Narayan Datta Kandel as Attorney General, amid claims that he holds UK permanent residency.
Following a Cabinet meeting held this afternoon, President Ram Chandra Poudel appointed Kandel to the post under Article 157 (2) of the Constitution, based on the government’s recommendation. Kandel is a resident of Baglung.
A former vice president of the UK chapter of the Non-Resident Nepali Association, Kandel had lived in Northern Ireland for a long period, running a restaurant business. Sources claim he continues to hold UK permanent residency (PR) and has resided there with his family.
While UK residency is typically granted after 10 years of stay, Kandel is said to have spent around 15 years there, engaging in financial activities. Kandel holds a PhD in law from Queen’s University Belfast and has also worked as a journalist in Nepal for several years.
He returned to Nepal in October 2023 but reportedly travels back to the UK periodically, as PR status can be revoked if the holder does not visit at least once every two years.
Nepal’s Constitution bars individuals holding foreign PR status from occupying public office.
Kandel has previously represented Rabi Lamichhane, chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, in court. After ending his long stay in the UK, he began practising law in Nepal around October 2023, although he has continued to travel there.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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