KATHMANDU, Nov 14: Dolindra Prasad Sharma, chairperson and general manager (GM) of Sajha Prakashan, has courted yet another controversy. This time Sharma has been accused of taking the controversial decision of appointing an employee hired on contract to the post of administration chief of the state-owned publishing house.
Sharma, who was sacked by the Ministry of Education on the charge of irregularities in September, resumed office from November 8 after the Supreme Court issued a stay order on October 31 against the ministry's decision.
Let Sajha rise
But soon after resuming office, Sharma took the controversial decision of making Ratna Jyoti Hamal, an employee hired on contract, the administration chief of Sajha. According to the contract letter issued on November 8 by Sharma, the contract tenure of Ratna Jyoti Hamal of Rolpa district has been extended for six months, effective from October 28. Sharma formally received the court order on November 2. Hamal has not attended her office since October 28.
Hamal, who was appointed as an officer on contract from April 24, attended office on April 27 and 28, and then stayed on leave till June 1. Hamal is the daughter of Khagendra Prakash Hamal, who is a Nepali Congress candidate for the Rolpa B electoral constituency in the upcoming election. She is also the wife of Manoj Mani Acharya, NC candidate under proportional representation system from Province 6.
Sharma also appointed Hamal as chief of Administration on November 8 to replace Hom Nath Bhattarai, the senior most staff of Sajha Prakashan. The staffers of Sajha Prakashan submitted an appeal to Sajha chief on November 10 to revoke the decision.
“This decision is against the Sajha Prakashan Employees Administration Directive 2017,” said Bhattarai, who rejected to receive the letter of his transfer from administration chief to marketing chief. “The decision was made without holding the meeting of Sajha board management,” he said. “Prior permission from the board is inevitable to appoint an officer on contract,” he added.
