KATHMANDU, Aug 21: Lawmakers on Thursday raised concerns over reports that Chief Commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Prem Kumar Rai was summoned by the Prime Minister’s Office and allegedly pressured to expedite an investigation into the e-passport procurement case.
The issue surfaced during a meeting of the Federal Parliament’s State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, where members questioned whether the anti-graft body could function independently if its leadership was subjected to political influence.
Rabi Lamichhane, president of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and a member of the House of Representatives, described reports of pressure on the head of a constitutional body as a serious matter.
“How can the commission work impartially under such circumstances? The CIAA is not the government’s shadow, nor should it look to the government to decide what work it should do,” Lamichhane said.
RSP lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh also questioned the nature of the relationship between the CIAA and the executive branch.
Police write to Department of Passport to revoke GB Rai's passp...
“Being prime minister does not make a person a king, nor does it make officials of constitutional bodies his subjects,” Singh said, arguing that constitutional bodies should maintain institutional independence.
Nepali Congress lawmaker Arjun Narasingh KC stressed the need to strengthen the CIAA through legal and policy reforms, including clearer definitions of policy decisions that fall outside the commission’s jurisdiction.
Responding to lawmakers’ concerns, CIAA Chief Commissioner Rai confirmed that Prime Minister Balendra Shah had called him for discussions related to the passport procurement case.
“The prime minister can call us for discussions and advice on issues such as passports. We attended the meeting and held discussions,” Rai said. “He said he wanted the matter to be expedited. We proceeded accordingly and initiated prosecution. Whether the prosecution was justified can be assessed from the case details available on the commission’s website.”
The CIAA recently filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 18 individuals, including Department of Passports Director General Tirtha Raj Aryal and Information Technology Director Sunil Kumar KC, alleging irregularities in the procurement and printing of e-passports.
The commission has sought recovery of more than Rs 10.13 billion from the defendants.
Committee members questioned reports that CIAA officials had been kept at the Prime Minister’s Office for several hours and pressured to move forward with the investigation. The allegations have fueled broader concerns about the autonomy of constitutional bodies.
CIAA officials also used the discussion to reiterate the need for stronger institutional independence and greater legal authority. They argued that the commission should be empowered to investigate policy-related decisions and cases involving abuse of authority without fear of political pressure or intimidation.
The debate has renewed attention on the CIAA’s powers and limitations. Legal and governance experts note that under the 2047 BS Constitution, the commission had authority to investigate both corruption and “improper conduct.” However, the 2072 BS Constitution removed its jurisdiction over improper conduct, limiting its investigative scope.
A bill aimed at expanding the CIAA’s jurisdiction and clarifying its authority has remained stalled in Parliament for years due to a lack of political consensus.
Analysts argue that while political parties frequently call for stronger anti-corruption measures, meaningful reforms would require legislative action to strengthen the CIAA’s independence, clearly define policy decisions, restore its authority to investigate improper conduct and insulate constitutional appointments from political bargaining.
The parliamentary discussion comes amid growing public demand for stronger anti-corruption measures and increased scrutiny of the independence and effectiveness of constitutional oversight bodies.
