CIAA spokesperson Puskar appointed economic counselor to India

KATHMANDU, Aug 1: As many as 55 individuals have registered an application at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), demanding the property details of CIAA Chief Commissioner Lokman Singh Karki 

Making use of the Right to Information Act, the individuals, who have been expressing solidarity with Dr Govinda KC’s demand of the impeachment of CIAA chief Karki, filed an application at the CIAA on Sunday asking it to provide them Karki’s property details.

Even three years after being appointed CIAA chief, Karki is yet to make public his property details.      

As per the CIAA Act, any person holding a public post should make public his or her property details within 60 days of appointment to the post. Likewise, individuals holding public posts should submit their as well as their family members’ property details at the end of each fiscal year.  

In the application, the 55 individuals have asked the CIAA to provide Karki’s property details as soon as possible. 

Ujawal Thapa, chairman of Bibeksheel Nepali Party, said that they will go to the National Information Commission if the CIAA fails to furnish Karki’s property details. 

Meanwhile, the government has decided to appoint CIAA spokesperson Krishna Hari Pushkar as economic counselor to India, in contravention of the practice of deputing an official with an economic and trade background to the post. 

A recent cabinet meeting had decided to appoint joint-secretary Pushkar to the post of economic counselor to India though he is from an administrative background. As per existing practice, joint-secretaries from the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Commerce are deputed to the post. 

Pushkar is leaving for India in a few days“ “I am going to India with my family to assume the post soon,” he said. 

According to a highly-placed source at the Office of Prime Minster and Council of Ministers, Pushkar was appointed to the post after CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki pressured the government to do so.

“He had been trying to cultivate leaders from various power centers to get appointed as consul general at an important posting such as Hong Kong, Lhasa or Kolkata. He lobbied for appointment as economic counselor to India after failing to get the post of consul general,” the source said. 

The cabinet had kept the decision to appoint Pushkar economic counselor a secret as the appointment might drag both the government and the CIAA into controversy. 

Earlier, the CIAA had directed the government to take a clear standard regarding the appointment of  officials to such diplomatic posts. However, the CIAA has remained silent over Pushkar’s appointment.

 
• ciaa
 
• chief
 
• karkis
 
• property
 
• details
 
• sought