Nepal forms Five-member panel to investigate wealth of public office holders

The Nepal government on Wednesday constituted a five-member Property Investigation Commission to scrutinise the assets of public office holders, including political leaders and senior civil servants, accumulated since 2006.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister, government spokesperson and Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sasmit Pokharel told reporters.

The commission will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Rajendra Kumar Bhandari . Other members include former justices Chandi Raj Dhakal and Purushottam Parajuli , former Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police Ganesh KC , and chartered accountant Prakash Lamsal .

According to officials, the panel has been mandated to collect, examine and scrutinise asset declarations of political office-bearers and senior government officials from 2006when Nepal witnessed the People’s Movement II to the current fiscal year 2025-26 .

The formation of the commission fulfills a commitment made by the government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah soon after assuming office. The Cabinet had earlier decided on March 27 to establish such a mechanism within 15 days.

Asset transparency has long remained a sensitive governance issue in Nepal, frequently surfacing in public debate amid allegations of corruption, abuse of authority and accumulation of unexplained wealth among public officials.