KATHMANDU, March 21: Samim Miya Ansari will lead the Muslim Commission after the Parliamentary Hearing Committee’s indecision. Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JBR administered the oath of office and secrecy to Samim along with chairpersons of four more constitutional bodies at the presence of President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice President, Nanda Bahadur Pun. 

Ansari became the chairperson after the parliamentary hearing committee’s indecisiveness to address the alleged fake citizenship and academic certificates crossed 45 days. According to the constitution, the PHC must give a decision to recommend a candidate within 45 days. If the PHC doesn’t give a decision in the stipulated time, the candidate automatically becomes the chairperson.  

The PHC's indecision was due to divisions within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and differences with coalition partner Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN), the parliamentary panel failed to take any decision on Ansari for 45 days.

The PHC hadn’t raised its concerns over the accusation Ansari faced. The District Administration Office of Kathmandu stated that Ansari’s original citizenship certificate mentioned his date of birth as 10 October 1980, whereas the one that he has presented mentioned his d.o.b as 10 October 1973. 

Key NCP leaders on the committee were for rejecting Ansari because of controversy over his date of birth and his affiliation with a political party. Acting on complaints registered at the PHC, it had sought information from the District Administration Office and the Election Commission about Ansari's date of birth in his citizenship papers and his party affiliation.

The NCP has only nine members on the 15-member committee. Also, four members from the Nepali Congress (NC) boycotted the hearings process to protest the prime minister's taking nomination decisions without the participation of the NC president.

 
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