Former Minister Varshaman Pun Criticizes Executive Interference in Constitutional Bodies and Courts

Kathmandu. Nepali Communist Party MP and former minister Varshaman Pun has objected to the executive branch interfering in matters under the jurisdiction of constitutional bodies and courts. Speaking at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, MP Pun emphasized the need for all parties to be vigilant in preserving the principle of separation of powers and democratic values. He stated that the Prime Minister's secretariat and advisors calling constitutional body officials for questioning and attempting to control them is against the spirit of the constitution. MP Pun raised questions about various 'variations' and tender processes from Machine Readable Passport (MRP) to e-passport procurement. He demanded an investigation into the matter where the tender was initially called for 5 million per e-passport, later reduced to 2 million, and then increased to 6.4 million. He mentioned that the delay in the process of establishing the Security Printing Press and the corruption cases associated with it have caused financial damage to the country. He claimed that frequent variations in passport procurement encourage policy-level corruption. Speaking at the meeting, he said, 'Parliamentary committees and the government must be cautious about cases under judicial consideration.' He added, 'However, the act of calling officials from the anti-corruption body to the Prime Minister's secretariat and questioning them for 9 hours and instigating cases is serious.' He clarified that while they may not recommend punishment for anyone, a study is necessary to establish a system for understanding the truth and identifying where the weaknesses lie. Commenting that 'cronies capitalism' has become dominant in the country, MP Pun expressed concern that state power is falling into the hands of middlemen and interest groups. Using terms like 'nepokid' and 'nepobaby,' he claimed that individuals unknown to the public and without any constitutional accountability are influencing important state decisions. MP Pun proposed that the Public Accounts Committee should conduct a detailed and independent study on the issues of passport procurement and security printing. He argued that even though these matters are under judicial consideration, there is no obstacle for the parliamentary committee to study them for system improvement. He also stressed the need to create an environment where the administrative staff and the media can fulfill their responsibilities without fear or intimidation.