KATHMANDU, JUNE 24

The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) today decided to put the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (Third Amendment) Bill on hold after the bill’s provision to allow the constitutional watchdog to investigate the private sector drew flak.

NCP Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha said he raised the issue in the party’s Standing Committee meeting following which the party leadership issued a directive to the party’s lawmakers not to proceed with the bill being considered in the National Assembly, the Upper House of the Parliament.

Shrestha said he told Standing Committee members that letting the CIAA investigate the private sector would violate the constitution. Moreover, the bill intended to create another powerful authority parallel to the government, he added.

The amendment to the bill allows the CIAA to investigate corruption in banks, medical colleges, public limited companies and institutions receiving funds from any of the three tiers of the government, besides public institutions.

The Legislation Committee of the NA has finalised its report on the bill endorsing the provision to give the CIAA jurisdiction to probe the private sector. The bill was removed from the NA’s business schedule yesterday after the Nepali Congress sought more time to study the bill and form its views on it.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 25, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.