Ordinance to dismiss public officials to remove 1,594 appointees across multiple sectors

Kathmandu: President Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday issued the ‘Special Provisions Ordinance Concerning the Dismissal of Public Officials, 2083’ on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. With this step taken by the Prime Minister Balendra Shah-led government aimed at strengthening administration and providing new momentum to state bodies, a total of 1,594 officials appointed under various acts and institutional structures will be relieved of their posts at once.

In the communication, aviation and printing sectors, seven officials including the chairman, vice-chairman, director and general manager appointed under the Nepal Airlines Corporation Act, 2019 will be relieved of their posts. Positions will also be vacated for three officials under the National News Agency (RSS) Act, 2019, as well as the chairperson and director under the Gorkhapatra Corporation Act, 2019. Similarly, three officials under the Films (Production, Exhibition and Distribution) Act, 2026 and two under the Communications Corporation Act, 2028 will be removed. Ten officials under the Press Council Act, 2048 and six under the Working Journalists Act, 2051 will also be relieved. In addition, five officials under the Telecommunications Act, 2053 and four under the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Act, 2053 will be removed.

The ordinance also affects six officials of the Information Technology Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063, and three officials including the Chief Information Commissioner under the Right to Information Act, 2064. Six officials under the Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2076, three under the Security Printing Act, 2081, and 15 under the Public Service Broadcasting Act, 2081 will also be relieved of their posts.

In the education and university sector, 23 officials under the Education Act, 2028 will be removed. Similarly, 28 officials under the Nepal Sanskrit University Act, 2043, 17 under the Technical Education and Vocational Training Council Act, 2045, and 34 under the National Youth Council Act, 2072 will be relieved. A total of 25 officials under the Kathmandu University Act, 2048 and 84 under the Tribhuvan University Act, 2049 will also be removed, along with eight under the University Grants Commission Act, 2050 and 69 under the Purbanchal University Act, 2050.

Likewise, 50 officials under the Pokhara University Act, 2053 and 44 under the Lumbini Buddhist University Act, 2063 will be relieved. The ordinance will vacate 27 posts under the Sudurpaschim University Act, 2067 and 26 under the Madhyapaschim University Act, 2067. It will also remove 22 officials under the Agriculture and Forestry University Act, 2067, 24 under the Nepal Open University Act, 2073, 39 under the Rajarshi Janak University Act, 2074, and 24 under the Madan Bhandari University Act, 2079.

In the health, medicine and science sector, six officials under the Ayurveda Medical Council Act, 2045 and nine under the Nepal Health Research Council Act, 2047 will be removed. Five officials under the Animal Health and Animal Service Practitioners Council Act, 2079 will also be relieved. Similarly, 15 officials under the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Act, 2049 and five under the Breast Milk Substitutes (Sale and Distribution Control) Act, 2049 will be removed.

Eight officials under the Nepal Nursing Council Act, 2052, five under the Nepal Health Practitioners Council Act, 2053, ten under the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital Act, 2053, and eight under the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center Act, 2057 will also be relieved. Seven officials under the Nepal Pharmacy Council Act, 2057 and 22 under the National Academy of Medical Sciences Act, 2063 will be removed. Additionally, 33 officials under the Patan Academy of Health Sciences Act, 2064 and 34 under the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences Act, 2068 will be vacated, along with 31 under the Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences Act, 2072 and 31 under the Rapti Academy of Health Sciences Act, 2074.

Seven officials under the Health Insurance Act, 2074, six under the Public Health Act, 2075, eight under the Nepal Medical Council Act, 2075, and 16 under the National Medical Education Act, 2075 will be relieved. Similarly, 42 officials under the Vidushi Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurveda University Act, 2079 and 29 under the Shahid Dashrath Chand University of Health Sciences Act, 2082 will be removed.

In the energy, infrastructure, financial and regulatory sectors, six officials under the Nepal Electricity Authority Act, 2041 and four under the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority Act, 2045 will be relieved. Six officials under the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation Act, 2046 and six under the Municipal Development Fund Act, 2053 will also be removed.

Further, four officials under the Road Board Act, 2058, five under the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, 2074, and five under the Nepal Railway Act, 2079 will be relieved. In the financial sector, eight officials under the Employees Provident Fund Act, 2019, three under the Citizens Investment Fund Act, 2047, 15 under the Nepal Chartered Accountants Act, 2053, and five under the Industrial Business Development Corporation Act, 2053 will be removed.

Similarly, three officials under the International Financial Transactions Act, 2054 and one under the Securities Act, 2063 will be relieved. Six officials under the Competition Promotion and Market Protection Act, 2063 and three under the Public Procurement Act, 2063 will be removed. Three officials under the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund Act, 2073 and one under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2073 will also be relieved.

Eight officials under the Cooperatives Act, 2074, four under the Public-Private Partnership and Investment Act, 2075, two under the Industrial Business Act, 2076, two under the Insurance Act, 2079, and six under the Accreditation Act, 2079 will be removed.

In the agriculture, environment, academy and social sectors, eight officials under the Seed Act, 2045 and nine under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council Act, 2048 will be relieved. Seven officials under the National Dairy Development Board Act, 2048 and seven under the National Tea and Coffee Development Board Act, 2049 will also be vacated.

Similarly, three officials under the Nepal Veterinary Council Act, 2055, five under the Plant Quarantine and Protection Act, 2064, six under the Pesticide Management Act, 2076, five under the Environment Protection Act, 2076, and seven under the Food Hygiene and Standards Act, 2081 will be removed.

Nine officials under the Nepali Language Publication Corporation Act, 2021 and ten under the Guthi Corporation Act, 2033 will also be vacated. Eleven officials under the Lumbini Development Fund Act, 2042 and nine under the Pashupati Area Development Fund Act, 2044 will be relieved.

Additionally, 49 officials under the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology Act, 2048 and 33 under the Nepal Scout Act, 2050 will be removed. Sixteen officials under the Greater Janakpur Area Development Council Act, 2055 and 25 under the National Foundation for the Upliftment of Indigenous Peoples Act, 2058 will be relieved.

The ordinance will also vacate 60 nominated members under the Indigenous Peoples Council and remove 33 officials under the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts Act, 2064, 33 under the Nepal Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Act, 2064, and 43 under the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts Act, 2064.

In the administrative and social sectors, four officials under the Nepal Administrative Training Academy Act, 2039 and one under the Local Development Training Academy Act, 2049 will be relieved. Ten officials under the Social Welfare Act, 2049 and 14 under the Nepal Engineering Council Act, 2055 will also be removed.

Similarly, ten officials under the Foreign Employment Act, 2064, three under the Nepal Trust Act, 2064, and five under the Commission for the Investigation, Truth and Reconciliation of Enforced Disappearances Act, 2071 will be relieved. Ten officials under the Labor Act, 2074 and seven under the Contribution-Based Social Security Act, 2074 will also be removed.

Four officials under the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074, 17 under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2074, four under the Land Use Act, 2076, three under the Radioactive Substances (Use and Regulation) Act, 2077, and 27 under the National Sports Development Act, 2077 will be relieved of their posts.

In total, 1,594 officials will be removed through the ordinance. The government has stated that preparations are underway to proceed with new appointments to fill the vacant positions promptly.