HoR session: Minister Khadka questions if Kulman is above the law

Kathmandu, March 6 — Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Dipak Khadka has asked lawmakers to clarify whether the Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Kulman Ghising, is above the law. 

He raised this question in today’s House of Representatives meeting after MPs criticized him for seeking clarification from Ghising.

He mentioned that Kulman had not made a timely request for a performance evaluation, and after the ministry sent official correspondence, Kulman submitted his evaluation by rating himself. 

Minister Khadka also accused NEA of presenting inflated profits, claiming that charges for trunk and dedicated lines that had yet to be collected were included as part of the profits.

He suggested that this inflated profit was used as a basis for issuing shares to the public at a premium price.

The minister further criticized Kulman, stating that despite the decision by the NEA Board to conduct a valuation of the authority’s Deficit-Debt Adjustment (DDA) analysis, Kulman had not acted on it.

He also claimed that over 25 institutions under NEA, led by Kulman, had failed to provide their details despite repeated requests. 

“We made written requests nine times. He neither listened nor took any action, and yet if someone says he’s above the law, he should clarify that,” Minister Khadka stated.