On nomination of Lokman Singh Karki as CIAA Chief Commissioner (May 5, 2013)

 The nomination of former Chief Secretary Lokman Singh Karki as CIAA Chief on May 5 is unfortunate.

The controversy that the nomination has generated over the month itself is enough to discredit him for an appointment which expects the appointee to be a person who meets the requirements laid down by Constitutional Council Act, and qualifications set for the appointment of independent constitutional bodies. The Constitution requires any such appointee to be of “high moral character.”

Karki was held guilty of suppressing the peoples movement-II in 2005 when he was the Chief Secretary during the direct rule of ex-King Gyanendra. The Rayamajhi Commission, which conducted a public inquiry, had charged him with suppressing the people?s movement. The then Cabinet also declared him ineligible for holding any public position in the future. However, it is not clear how these charges make him offender. This cannot be the basis for anybody to say ?no? to his appointment. It is no other but the Supreme Court itself, which refused to give continuity to its earlier stay order on the move to appoint him as it did not find any ground for it. Karki was also accused of amassing properties through illegal means during his tenure as the director general at the Department of Customs. But the charge was not proved in any court. As such, this accusation cannot be the basis against his appointment.

Lokman Singh Karki has now become a very controversial person. Constitutionally he does not have any right to seek the appointment. However, right or wrong, his public image has seriously declined. He is no longer in a position to give ethical image to the CIAA as its chief because of the controversies involved. CIAA is an anti-graft body. It is an absolute requirement that the person who is controversial to this extent should not be appointed, because it will make the CIAA as an institution extremely vulnerable. It will also shatter the public and their faith on democracy. A large section of lawyers, civil society representatives and anti-corruption activists have taken strong exception to the proposal to appoint Karki as the head of the anti-graft body. Even if it is assumed that he is innocent, he is not a right person for the appointment.

Knowing very clearly that Karki has lost the image that is necessary to lead the anti-graft body, the meeting of the High Level Political Mechanism – cross party panel ? should not have decided to recommend Karki to head the CIAA in the first place.

Bipin Adhikari
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