Home Minister Lekhak wants HoR committee to finalize Corruption Prevention Bill soon

KATHMANDU: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has called for finalizing the Bill designed to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act-2059 BS (2002) from the respective committee.

During deliberations today on the Bill in a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, he said the Committee’s amendment regarding the Bill is acceptable to the government.

“Through the deliberations, significant issues have been identified and the government wishes to see the endorsement of the Bill by the Committee promptly. Corruption issues are highly serious,” the Minister said. He proposed to conclude the identified issues through clause-wise deliberations.

The Home Minister said, matters whether or not to expand the jurisdiction of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), identify the complainant, the provision of time limitation, conflict of interests, and action against officials responsible for delaying significant decisions are among those issues explored during the deliberations.

“It seems appropriate to conclude these issues through clause-wise deliberations,” he said.

Let’s remove the time limit for the investigation of corruption

Those lawmakers who have sought amendments to the Bill that is under discussion at the Committee are univocal that a time limit for investigations against issues of corruption be withdrawn.

Arjun Narsingh KC said a five-year time limit for investigating corruption is capable of protecting alleged corrupts and it should be withdrawn. “This is an open challenge to the entire democracy.”

“There should be no time limit for investigating any alleged case of corruption and it will not be acceptable under any circumstances, he declared.

Roshan Karki underlined the need for political commitments and action to prevent corruption. The time limit for investigating corruption is not entertained, he said, adding that such a provision will promote corruption. He questioned the relevancy and meaning of the time limit provision for probing corruption.

Prem Suwal accused political parties, administrative leadership, and the corporate houses of having a special nexus to promote corruption, proposing to bring the private sector under the investigation jurisdictions of the CIAA.

Rajendra KC was of the view that the appointments of people alleged in corruption scandals as CIAA officials have hampered the desired goals of the CIAA. He proposed to pick former judges while appointing the CIAA officials.