Kathmandu, January 29

The government today fixed protocols for VIPs, constitutional and other public post holders, chief ministers, governors and chiefs and deputy chiefs of local levels.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers presided over by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba took a decision to this effect. There are 29 rankings with the president being on the top of the protocol list, said Minister of Defence Bhimsen Das Pradhan.

He said that chief ministers are one rank below governors. “The home ministry’s proposal was to place both the governors and the chief ministers at the same level of protocol, but the cabinet decided to place governors above the chief ministers,” Pradhan told THT.

Likewise, Chief of Metropolitan Cities hold the same rank as joint secretaries. Chiefs of rural municipalities are equal to rank of Inspector General of Nepal Police in the protocol list.

The meeting has also decided to allow national pride projects and hydro power projects to fell trees of community as well as national forests.

The meeting has also declared an NC cadre, who was killed by the then Maoist combatants a martyr.