Lawmakers call for stronger, independent CIAA

Kathmandu, November 11 — Lawmaker Sanjay Kumar Gautam has raised concerns that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) is becoming politically biased. He made this statement on Monday during a discussion in the State Affairs Committee regarding the CIAA bill.

Gautam said, "There is a complaint that the CIAA is under the shadow of politics. There is a complaint that the country is drowning in corruption. There should be no time limit imposed on this matter," as he proposed an amendment.

During the meeting, another lawmaker Sher Bahadur Kunwar emphasized the need to make the CIAA more powerful, impartial, and independent. He questioned whether educational institutions should be included under the CIAA’s purview for misuse or not.

Kunwar raised the issue, asking, "Should educational institutions be included under the CIAA's jurisdiction for misuse? Will the CIAA be able to handle all cases, or not?"

Referring to widespread corruption at the grassroots level across the country, Kunwar noted that corruption has become a cultural norm. He also stressed the need to clarify the definition of investigative sources.