Mayor Balen reverses committee shakeup after Ward Chairs’ revolt

KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) has been compelled to reverse his unilateral decision to reshuffle key committee coordinators following intense pressure and organized resistance from ward chairpersons.

On Jestha 1, Mayor Shah issued a notice announcing changes to the leadership of three significant municipal committees.

He removed Navin Manandhar (Ward 32) from the Information Technology Committee, Khyamraj Tiwari (Ward 26) from the Good Governance Committee, and Asharam Sangat (Ward 8) from the Heritage and Tourism Committee.

In their place, he appointed Birendra Prajapati (Ward 5), Dalbahadur Karki (Ward 30), and Binod Kumar Rajbhandari (Ward 24), respectively.

The decision, made without consulting the executive body, drew immediate backlash. The removed ward chairpersons issued a joint statement rejecting the reshuffle, calling it arbitrary and a breach of procedural norms. They demanded the decision be reversed, warning of further action if the mayor failed to comply.

In a rare show of solidarity, even the newly appointed coordinators declined their roles, stating they could not accept responsibilities not approved by the executive committee.

In a joint letter to the mayor, Prajapati, Karki, and Rajbhandari made it clear they stood with the ousted coordinators, significantly increasing political and moral pressure on Mayor Shah.

According to one ward chairperson, the mayor, unable to withstand the mounting pressure, agreed to reinstate the original coordinators. “Our stance was in favor of due process and institutional integrity. The mayor has acknowledged his mistake and decided to correct it,” the chairperson said.