Nepal Supreme Court Halts Appointment of New Tourism Board CEO

The Patan High Court has issued an interim order to halt the process of selecting a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). The order was issued on Tuesday in response to a writ petition filed by Kundan Sharma Mishra challenging the appointment process.

The court has asked the defendants, including the NTB selection sub-committee, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, to submit a written reply within 15 days. The order directs the suspension of any activities related to the CEO selection process at the Nepal Tourism Board until further notice.

The writ petition argued that the appointment of the selection sub-committee members, Milan Devkota and Madan Kumar Acharya, was unlawful, and that the selection criteria for the CEO position was not in line with the board's own procedures. The petitioners, who are employees of the NTB, claimed that the nomination and selection process violated the Nepal Tourism Board Act of 2053 BS.

Why this matters: The Nepal Tourism Board, an autonomous body established in 2053 with the aim of promoting Nepal's tourism potential, has been without a CEO since the tenure of the previous chief, Dhananjay Regmi, ended on January 14, 2023. The court's intervention in the appointment process raises questions about the transparency and fairness of the selection procedures for this crucial position in Nepal's tourism sector.

The Patan High Court's decision to issue the interim order comes as a setback to the NTB's efforts to fill the vacant CEO position. The court has effectively put the brakes on the selection process until it can fully review the case and make a final ruling on the legality of the appointment procedures. "The court has given the defendants 15 days to provide a written reply presenting any evidence, basis, or reasoning against the issuance of the interim order," stated a court official. The future course of action will depend on the court's assessment of the defendants' response and the merits of the petitioners' arguments.

Key Takeaways

• Patan High Court halts CEO selection process for Nepal Tourism Board.
• Writ petition challenges appointment of selection sub-committee members and selection criteria.
• NTB has been without a CEO since January 2023, raising transparency concerns.
• Court orders suspension of CEO selection process until further notice.
• Defendants have 15 days to respond, and court will review the case.