Madhesh Province Chief Urges Impartiality in Anti-Graft Body's Justice Delivery

Janakpurdham. Madhesh Province Chief Dr. Surendra Labh Karna has stated that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which is engaged in the campaign against corruption, must make its justice delivery impartial.

Addressing a ceremony organized in Janakpurdham today on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the CIAA, he emphasized that constitutional bodies must always remain committed to upholding the truth. 

Chief Dr. Karna mentioned the significant role this commission plays in controlling corruption and expressed the view that in dispensing justice, the guilty must not be acquitted, nor should innocent individuals be framed or subjected to action.

He cited corruption as a global problem and challenge, not just Nepal's, and stated that the commission must raise awareness to establish good governance and build a corruption-free society in the country.

It was his view that under-the-table transactions between service recipients and employees in government agencies must cease, middlemen must be prosecuted, and everyone must work with ethics, integrity, accountability, and good faith.

On the same occasion, Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav stated that provincial government secretaries are shying away from implementing development projects due to the fear and apprehension of getting entangled with the CIAA. Furthermore, he claimed that the public is being deprived of rights and development because provincial secretaries are unwilling to work.

Chief Minister Yadav urged stakeholders to make the investigation process more effective, noting that the commission has lost many cases it filed because the CIAA's investigations and inquiries have been weak.

He expressed the view that if an official suspended upon the filing of a case by the CIAA wins the case, they should not be given service benefits for the period of suspension. Likewise, Madhesh Province Assembly Speaker Ram Ashish Yadav stated that the CIAA's working style needs improvement to enhance public trust.

He noted that although the Constitution of Nepal mandates provincial governance and administration to be under the provincial government, this is not reflected in practice, and he urged for timely justice delivery and ensuring that those who work correctly are not harassed.

On the same occasion, District Coordination Committee Chief Rajnandan Mandal expressed the view that moral education and character building studies should be taught in the school curriculum.

Janakpur High Court Chief Justice Tek Narayan Kunwar informed that corruption-related cases from Madhesh Province are excessively high in the special court and pointed out the need to make the CIAA's work more impartial and effective.

Dhanusha Chief District Officer Prem Prasad Luitel and Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Manoj Kumar Sah expressed the opinion that corruption control is not possible through the government's sole effort and that everyone must cooperate from their respective areas for this task.

Madhesh Province Chief Secretary Kamal Prasad Bhattarai pointed out that frequent and arbitrary transfers of employees in Madhesh Province are causing problems in service delivery, emphasizing the need to transfer employees and office heads only at designated times.