* Graft up in all 753 local levels * Madhes with most complaints
KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 7
With the adoption of a decentralised system of governance, people were assured that Singha Durbar, the central secretariat had arrived in villages and that service delivery would improve.
But, on the flip side, according to the recent report by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), local bodies appear to have topped in graft cases, with 52.80 percent of complaints coming against the local level.
The CIAA discovered an increase in corruption at 753 local levels as the country transitioned to federalism. There are 753 local bodies, including 460 rural municipalities, 276 municipalities, 11 submetropolises, and 6 metropolises.
According to the Commission, many of the complaints registered with it are about various topics/areas relating to the local level.
According to the commission, 19, 106 complaints were filed against 753 local levels in one year, accounting for 52.80 per cent of all complaints.
On the other hand, there are 4, 457 complaints (12.32 per cent), against seven provincial governments and their subordinate agencies, and 12, 626 (34.88 percent), against the federal government and its subordinate agencies.
According to the commission, Madhes province has the highest number of complaints filed against local governments.
Madhes province has 6, 263 (32.78 per cent) at the local level, while the lowest number of complaints at the local level in Gandaki province is 1500 (7.85 per cent).
According to the Commission, 1,545 defendants were registered in 201 cases involving various subjects at the local level during fiscal year 2023/2024. The majority of them are brokers, and others-739 people.
According to the authority's annual report, 104 local representatives, including two ministers, have been named as defendants.
Similarly, the authority has filed charges against 32 political appointees involved in local corruption, six special category employees, 314 officers, and 200 assistant employees.
Likewise, the authority has filed a case against 148 nominated members of various consumer and management committees. A case has been filed against 62 individuals for the crime of illegal gain or loss.
The CIAA also reported that cases had been filed against 62 people, including seven mayors and presidents, 11 deputy mayors and vice presidents, 29 ward presidents, and 15 other members.
A case has been filed against 19 individuals, including one district coordination committee chief, five municipal chiefs, three deputy chiefs, seven ward presidents, and three other members, for causing public harm.
In addition, 14 people have been charged with revenue leakage and embezzlement, including eight mayors, five deputy mayors, one ward president, one municipal head, six ward presidents and one other member, for accepting bribes. A case has been filed against a municipality official for illegal wealth acquisition.
Meanwhile, during the same fiscal year, the CIAA filed corruption charges against 834 employees.
According to the commission, 102 cases have been registered against people's representatives and employees at the local level, accounting for half of the total cases (50 per cent).
Similarly, 79 cases have been filed against central government representatives and employees, as well as 20 against provincial government representatives and staff.
According to the CIAA report, cases have been registered against six secretaries, 30 joint secretaries, 82 under-secretaries, and 202 section officers. Similarly, 739 cases have been filed against 200 assistant employees, 200 appointees, and other agents, such as brokers.
