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A key point in the seven-point agreement signed by Nepal’s two largest political parties, Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, in early July is amendments to the Constitution. However, almost two months after forming a powerful coalition, no specific details have emerged about the proposed amendments.

Both domestic and international observers are eager to know what changes NC and UML intend to make to the 2015 Constitution. It’s also unclear whether the two parties are fully aligned on the amendments. Neither NC nor UML has begun internal discussions on the specifics of the amendment. The issue of constitutional amendment carries different meanings for various political groups. The CPN (Maoist Center), which was ousted from power, has accused NC and UML of attempting to roll back the constitution's progressive provisions.

Maoist leaders, including Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal, frequently claim that NC and UML want to weaken progressive elements of the Constitution. For royalist parties like Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), constitutional amendment means removing the constitutional monarchy and reestablishing Nepal as a Hindu state. On the other hand, for the Maoists, amendment is about granting more rights to marginalized communities. It is up to NC and UML to initiate discussions on potential changes, though recent remarks by senior leaders hint that one major focus could be the electoral system.

Senior leaders of both NC and UML argue that the current electoral system—combining first-past-the-post (FPTP) and proportional representation (PR)—contributes to political instability, as it makes it difficult for any one party to secure a majority. However, this proposal faces opposition from Maoist, Madhesi, and smaller parties, who see any changes to the electoral system as undermining the country’s inclusive political framework. Major parties are pushing for raising the electoral threshold to limit the number of smaller parties in Parliament, while small parties argue this is a move toward a two-party system.

Currently, only the parties securing a minimum of three percent in the House of Representatives and 1.5 percent in the provincial assembly of the total valid votes under the PR category are allocated PR seats. Parties that have seats both in FPTP and PR seats are eligible to become the national party.

In the 2022 national elections, only a few parties, including NC, UML, the Maoists, and newer parties like Rastriya Swatantra Party and Janamat Party, managed to cross the three percent vote threshold required to secure PR seats. Many smaller parties, such as CPN (Unified Socialist) led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, failed to meet the threshold and could not get the national party status.

There are also rumors that NC and UML want to remove secularism from the Constitution, but the parties have remained silent on the issue. Voices within NC are calling for the party to support the reinstatement of Nepal as a Hindu state through constitutional amendment. However, amending the Constitution is a complex issue. Once initiated, all political forces will likely push for their own agendas, making consensus difficult.

NC Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire emphasized the need for a common consensus among political parties. Madhes-based parties, like the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) led by Mahantha Thakur, are closely monitoring the constitutional amendment process. LSP has formed a three-member committee under Laxman Lal Karna to consult with other parties on constitutional changes that address Madhesi issues. The committee has been tasked with the responsibility of preparing a comprehensive report on the Madhes issues they want to address by amending the Constitution.

The ruling coalition has agreed to hold all-party discussions on constitutional amendments. In a meeting on Monday, ruling party leaders, including those from NC and UML, stressed the need to amend the constitution in a way that gains broad consensus among all political parties. According to leaders, top leaders of the ruling parties are of the view that the Constitution should be amended to make it more refined and universally acceptable. Besides NC and UML, the ruling coalition also consists of Janata Samajbadi Party and Loktantrik Samajbadi Party. 

UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula said that at Monday’s meeting, the parties agreed that there should be comprehensive discussions to amend the constitution. Opposition parties, especially the Maoist Center, have been accusing the NC and UML of trying to revert to the 1990 constitution through constitutional amendments. NC Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire said that the parties in the ruling coalition will push for maximum consensus from parties and stakeholders for the constitutional amendment. 

A two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly is needed to amend the Constitution. This means the ruling coalition needs to secure the support of at least 184 lawmakers in the 275-members House of Representatives. NC and UML have a combined 167 lawmakers. UML lawmaker Top Bahadur Rayamajhi is suspended, while Speaker Devraj Ghimire, who is from UML, can only vote in case of a tie. This means NC and UML need the support of 18 more lawmakers.

They plan to seek support from parties like Rastriya Prajatantra Party (14),  Janamat Party (6), Janata Samajbadi Party (5), Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (4) and Nagarik Unmukti Party (4), among others. Although the coalition looks comfortable in the lower house, the equation is not so favorable in the National Assembly. The UML-NC coalition needs the support of at least 40 members in the 59-members upper house. CPN (Maoist Center) is the largest party in the National Assembly with 17 seats, while NC and UML have 16 and 10 seats, respectively.  NC and UML need the support of 14 other lawmakers for any amendment to the constitution to pass through the upper house. Likewise, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba also called for unity among ruling parties.

This summer, Kathmandu experienced its highest temperature ever recorded. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DHM) reported a scorching temperature of 35.3°C on June 15. The city is urbanizing at an annual rate of four percent, and its built-up area has grown to almost four times its size since the mid-1980s. Consequently, the risks associated with the Urban Heat Island effect are also increasing. Research by Mishra et al. (2019) indicated a 5°C temperature variation between forest land and developed land in the Kathmandu Valley. As rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization continue in the valley, the temperature difference is also expected to increase.

Urban Heat Island, or UHI, is a phenomenon where urban areas experience considerably higher temperatures than their surrounding rural areas. The main causes of UHIs include anthropogenic factors, heat absorption by urban infrastructure, and the albedo effect. The albedo effect is a measure of how reflective a surface is. Darker surfaces absorb more heat and release it back into the atmosphere, while lighter surfaces reflect heat away. Therefore, as cities replace natural landscapes with buildings, roads and pavement, which absorb and retain heat, the overall temperature increases. The impacts of UHIs are far-reaching, including air pollution, higher energy consumption, disruption of urban ecosystems and adverse health outcomes, especially for vulnerable populations such as the marginalized, elderly, and urban poor.  

In a country where urban poverty has increased from 15.46 percent in 2010-11 to 18.34 percent in 2022-23, and where the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s handling of the urban poor has been condemned by Human Rights Watch, critical questions arise—How will the rights of street vendors, landless individuals, slum dwellers and other vulnerable groups be safeguarded amidst rising temperatures? 

Additionally, with heat-related illnesses expected to increase due to the UHI effect, it is crucial to assess whether the healthcare system in Nepal is prepared to handle the added pressure. Will vulnerable groups, with their limited capacities, have access to essential health services, adequate housing, a decent standard of living and an overall quality of life, or will they continue to be mistreated? Despite global awareness regarding UHIs, the concerned authorities in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City are yet to acknowledge the alarming rise in temperatures this summer.

In contrast to this local inaction, cities around the world are actively addressing the UHI effect with innovative solutions. For example, Indian cities like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Jodhpur and Surat have introduced cool roofs-roofs covered with reflective materials that bring down temperatures inside and outside buildings. Applying white reflective paint on roofs is a simple yet effective strategy that has seen widespread adoption globally. 

Abu Dhabi has introduced self-shading tower blocks, Medellin has developed extensive green corridors, Paris is creating cool islands, Seville has implemented a policy of shade and Singapore boasts of its renowned Gardens by the Bay. These diverse approaches demonstrate how cities are dealing with the UHI effect based on their unique environments and challenges.

In response to escalating temperatures, cities are also appointing Chief Heat Officers (CHOs) – a term coined by a branch of the American think tank Atlantic Council called the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arsht-Rock). CHOs are responsible for developing and implementing strategies to combat extreme heat, protect vulnerable populations and enhance urban resilience to rising temperatures. Miami paved the way by appointing the world’s first CHO, and other cities, such as Phoenix, Athens, Freetown, and Dhaka North followed suit. Notably, Dhaka North was the first Asian city to appoint a CHO.

While cities worldwide, including those in South Asia, are making commendable strides in addressing UHIs, Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s lackluster approach to this issue is highly concerning. Kathmandu must learn from other cities and implement targeted strategies to mitigate the UHI effect or face intensified challenges in the coming years. The rising temperatures in Kathmandu represent the broader challenges posed by global warming, climate change and increased urbanization. These issues demand urgent attention, action and innovative solutions from policymakers, urban planners and the general public.

While initiatives such as Urban Green Spaces (UGS), tree plantations and community-managed forests are underway, a significant gap remains in addressing and raising public awareness on UHIs. Comprehensive research, robust satellite-based data collection and substantial evidence are essential to guide sustainable urban planning. Given the pace and scale of urbanization, the government of Nepal must step up its efforts in urban governance and take appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures by coordinating with relevant ministries and departments to plan greener, smarter and liveable cities. This involves prioritizing the conservation of natural resources and natural heat sinks, investing in alternative energy solutions, and implementing innovative strategies to enhance urban resilience. It is also crucial that policies and plans be grounded in a deep understanding of the local context, addressing challenges facing vulnerable groups, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

The author holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy

Nepal and China are set to resume their joint military drill, which had been stalled since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The fourth edition of the drill will be held in China later this month. According to sources at the Nepali Army headquarters, the exercise will begin on Sept 21 and last for 10 days. Although China had been hesitant to restart the drill in the early years following the pandemic due to strict health restrictions, it has now agreed to move forward.

Outgoing Army chief Prabhu Ram Sharma played a key role in reviving the joint drill between the Nepal Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army, according to officials. Army spokesperson Brig Gen Gaurav Kumar KC confirmed that discussions are ongoing to finalize the details, although he did not provide further specifics. 

Sharma has reportedly proposed to the Chinese side that the dates for the exercise be confirmed before his retirement. Sharma officially retired on Monday, passing the leadership of the Nepali Army to Ashok Raj Sigdel. In preparation for the exercise, Sharma had earlier dispatched senior official Prem Dhoj Adhikari to Beijing for discussions. The final dates were set shortly after Adhikari’s return.

The drill, known as the Sagarmatha Friendship exercise, first began in 2017, drawing attention from both New Delhi and Beijing. This year’s edition will take place in Chengdu, China. Prior to 2017, while Nepal and China had engaged in training and exchanges, no joint military drills had been held between the two countries.

India, the US, and other nations have expressed concerns about the growing military cooperation between Nepal and China, viewing it through the lens of rising geopolitical tensions. Recently, China has introduced new global initiatives in both the development and security sectors, such as the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which has raised further apprehension in India and Western nations. Nepal, however, has informed China that it cannot be part of the GSI.

The Nepali Army maintains that these joint drills are routine, similar to the military exercises it conducts with other nations, including India and the US. For example, Nepal and India hold the Surya Kiran military drill annually, rotating the location between the two countries.

A special team from the Nepal Army, including an observer group led by senior official Pradeep Jung KC, will visit China to participate in the drill, which will focus on counterterrorism and disaster management. Each country will send a delegation of 18 members. The previous three editions of the drill were held in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has often been criticized for focusing on petty corruption while overlooking larger cases. However, data from the past year suggests that public officials involved in major corruption have not been exempt from the constitutional anti-graft body’s scrutiny.

High-ranking officials, including former ministers and sitting chief secretaries, have been caught in CIAA’s investigations, showing that those abusing their positions for corruption are being held accountable, regardless of their status.

The CIAA has filed cases against officials ranging from the Chief Secretary, who holds the highest administrative position in the country, to former chief ministers and ministers. The CIAA has filed cases in the Special Court regarding the wide-body aircraft procurement scandal, Melamchi corruption, Madhesh Province's bicycle procurement, and irregularities in Nepal Telecom's MDMS procurement.

Similarly, the CIAA has investigated and filed cases on major irregularities in provincial governments as well as irregularities at the local units. These cases range from corruption in construction of Bharat Lake in Sarlahi to irregularities in stone and gravel contracts in Godavari. 

In the previous fiscal year, the CIAA filed 201 cases in the Special Court. This includes 58 cases related to gaining illegal profit while loss to the state, 48 cases of bribery, 34 cases of fake educational certificates, 34 cases of damage to public property, 13 cases of revenue leakage, 11 cases of accumulation of illegal assets and three miscellaneous cases.

Here we outline major cases registered by the CIAA in the Special Court in fiscal year 2023/24.

Corruption in excise sticker printing

• Case filed: 23 June 2024
• Accused: Baikuntha Aryal (former Secretary of Communications Ministry and former Chief Secretary), Ritesh Kumar Shakya (former Director General of Inland Revenue Department and current Joint Secretary at Finance Ministry), Bikal Poudel (former Executive Director of Security Printing Center), and 11 others including companies
• Amount: Rs 386,717,640 

Irregularities in Bharat Lake construction  

• Case filed: 12 June 2024
• Accused: Bharat Kumar Thapa (suspended Mayor of Bagmati Municipality, Sarlahi), Lila Kumari Muktan (Deputy Mayor), Bimal Kumar Pokharel (former Chief Administrative Officer), and 3 others. Charged with damaging public property, preparing false reports and documents
• Amount: Rs 302,934,897

Corruption in Godavari Municipality’s stone mining contract

• Case filed: 4 June 2024  
• Accused: Gajendra Maharjan (former Mayor of Godavari Municipality, Lalitpur), Muna Adhikari (former Deputy Mayor), and 7 others including a company
• Charged with revenue leakage
• Amount: Rs 1.04bn
• Status: Acquitted by Special Court, but CIAA has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court

Accumulation of illegal assets

• Case filed: 4 June 2024
• Accused: Bikal Poudel, former Executive Director of Security Printing Center, allegedly received commissions from domestic and foreign supplier companies for materials supplied to Telecom. CIAA claims he deposited funds in United Overseas Bank in Singapore and Bank of America in the United States
• Amount: Rs 630m 

Corruption in software and equipment procurement for security printing press   

• Case filed: 13 May 2024
• Accused: Bikal Poudel (former Executive Director of Security Printing Center), Saphal Shrestha (former Director of National Information Technology Center), four others and a company
• Amount: Rs 407,557,740 

Corruption by furnishing false information 

• Case filed: 22 April 2024
• Accused: Bikala Poudel (suspended former Executive Director of Security Printing Center)
• Case: Poudel allegedly obtained foreign permanent residency in violation of Article 291 of the Constitution, and failed to self-declare this information while holding public office

Corruption through registration of forest land in individual’s names  

• Case filed: 19 May 2024  
• Accused: Mohan Snehi Rasaili (former Chief of Kailali Land Revenue Office), Man Bahadur Chand (former Chief of Kailali Survey Office) and six others
• Case: 15 bighas of land designated as forest in Narayanpur-8, Kailali, were illegally registered in individuals’ names by forging documents

Corruption in tea development corporation

• Case filed: 11 May 2024
• Accused: Sanjay Bilotia (former Senior Accountant at Nepal Tea Development Corporation Limited, Birtamod, Jhapa) and 3 others  
• Case: Misappropriation of funds by inflating electricity bills paid to Nepal Electricity Authority
• Amount: Rs 3,252,368 

Corruption case against suspended Nepal Telecom MD Sunil Poudel

• Case filed: 22 April 2024
• Accused: Sunil Poudel (suspended Managing Director of Nepal Telecom, former Executive Director of National Information Technology Center)
• Amount: Rs 37,546,324.57

Accumulation of illegal assets

• Case filed: 11 April 2024
• Accused: Bharat Kumar Thapa (Mayor of Bagmati Municipality, Sarlahi)
• Amount: 53,353,189.66

Corruption in procurement of wide-body aircraft for NAC

• Case filed: 5 April 2024
• Accused: Jeevan Bahadur Shahi (former Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, current Karnali Province Assembly member), Sugat Ratna Kansakar (former General Manager of Nepal Airlines Corporation), and 30 others
• Case: Irregularities in procurement of two A330-200 aircraft for Nepal Airlines Corporation
• Amount: Rs 1,471,085,482.85 

Corruption in health equipment procurement

• Case filed: 1 April 2024
• Accused: Chandra Dev Mehta (former Director of Health Directorate, Dhankuta), accountant, engineer, and three others, along with Hospitech Enterprise Pvt Ltd
• Case: Irregularities in tender for Covid-19 center equipment at Koshi Hospital, Morang
• Amount: Rs 28,966,050 

Corruption in MDMS procurement

• Case filed: 29 March 2024
• Accused: Digambar Jha (former Chairperson of Nepal Telecommunications Authority), Ananda Raj Khanal (Director/Senior Director), Min Prasad Aryal (Deputy Director/Director), Binod Chandra Shrestha (Assistant Director/Deputy Director), 15 others and 2 companies
• Case: Irregularities in procurement of Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) and consulting services by Nepal Telecommunications Authority
• Amount: Rs 919,830,882 

Corruption in Biratnagar Customs 

• Case filed: 27 March 2024
• Accused: Tara Prasad Sapkota (former Chief Customs Officer, Biratnagar Customs Office), Navakul Sharma (Customs Officer), 2 others and Dev International Pvt Ltd
• Case: Deleting import declaration records from the system to evade revenue
• Amount: Rs 8,455,605 

Registration of government land as private property

• Case filed: 26 Feb 2024
• Accused: Bishnu Kumar Neupane (former Chief Survey Officer, Survey Office, Chandragadhi, Jhapa) and 171 others
• Case: Illegally registering 29 bighas 17 kattha 4 dhur of public land in the names of different individuals 
• Amount: Rs 346,654,849.65

Registration of government land as private property

• Case filed: 26 Feb 2024  
• Accused: Ram Dev Mandal Dhanuk (former Survey Officer, Survey Office, Chandragadhi, Jhapa) and 186 others
• Case: Illegally registering 28 bighas 17 kattha 13 dhur of public land in the names of different individuals through self-declared land registration process
• Amount: Rs 416,219,801.75

Corruption in Melamchi Drinking Water Supply Project

• Case filed: 19 Feb 2024
• Accused: Dr Sanjay Sharma (former Secretary of Water Supply Ministry and former Board Chairman of Melamchi Water Supply Development Committee), Bhim Prasad Upadhyay, Gajendra Kumar Thakur, Executive Director of the committee, and 11 others including consultants and construction companies
• Case: Payment made for work not done, failure to deduct rental charges for equipment used by previous contractor, failure to adjust overpayments in subsequent bills
• Amount: Rs 6.73bn 

Land embezzlement in Tikapur Urban Development Committee  

• Case filed: 7 Feb 2024
• Accused: Netra Prasad Joshi (former Chairman of Tikapur Urban Development Committee, Kailali), Lalit Tamrakar, Dhiraj Regmi and 246 others
• Case: Illegal transfer of 600 kattha of public land to individuals through fake receipts and collusion of committee officials

Making illegal gains by causing loss to state

• Case filed: 2 Nov 2023
• Accused: Baikuntha Adhikari (former Secretary of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, Lumbini Province) and three others
• Case: Supply of substandard agricultural equipment to farmers through cooperatives under mechanization program
• Amount: Rs 13,160,000 

Misuse of grants provided for snake farming

• Case filed: 4 Oct 2023
• Accused: Bijay Kumar (former Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning, Province 2), Prem Kumar Shrestha (former Secretary), Man Bahadur Khadka (former Mayor of Lalbandi Municipality, Sarlahi), and four others including an organization
• Case: Irregularities in establishment and operation of Anti-venom Production and Research Center Nepal (APRCN) in collaboration with Jhalanath Khanal Health Science Academy
• Amount: Rs 179,833,000 

Irregularities in national payment gateway procurement 

• Case filed: 28 Sept 2023
• Accused: Sanjay Sharma (former Secretary of Science and Technology Ministry and former Chairman of National Information Technology Center), Pranita Upadhyay (former Executive Director of National Information Technology Center), and seven others
• Case: Misuse of government property and funds in procurement of National Payment Gateway system that has remained unused for past six years
• Amount: Rs 232,758,077 

Irregularities in procurement of Jalahari for Pashupatinath Temple 

• Case filed: 27 Sept 2023
• Accused: Pradeep Dhakal (former Member Secretary of Pashupati Area Development Trust), Milan Kumar Thapa (current Member Secretary and former Treasurer) and one other
• Amount: Rs 11,701,781.85 
• Status: Acquitted

Corruption in Triyuga Municipality

• Case filed: 23 Sept 2023
• Accused: Baldev Chaudhary (former Mayor of Triyuga Municipality, Udayapur) and three others  
• Case: Revenue leakage in contracts for extraction and sale of stone, gravel and sand in FY 2021/22
• Amount: Rs 8,135,382.16 

Corruption in Bhimdatta Municipality 

• Case filed: 26 Aug 2023
• Accused: Surendra Bahadur Bista (former Mayor of Bhimdatta Municipality, Kanchanpur), Hari Datta Joshi (former Acting Chief Administrative Officer), eight others and Bhawani Construction Pvt Ltd
• Case: Illegal discounts given on revenue from natural resources (river-based materials) contracts in FY 2019/20
• Amount: Rs 13,497,453 

Corruption in Navarajpur Rural Municipality 

• Case filed: 11 June 2024
• Accused: Bishwa Mohan Prasad Yadav (former Chairperson of Navrajpur Rural Municipality, Siraha), Shobha Kumari Yadav (Deputy Chairperson), Chief Administrative Officer, and 11 others
• Case: Misappropriation of funds allocated for completing unfinished work at Ramjanaki Dalit Basic School in Majhaura from Province 2 government’s MP grant

Corruption in Karjanha Municipality

• Case filed: 28 March 2024
• Accused: Ganga Paswan (former Mayor of Karjanha Municipality, Siraha), Jagadish Mandal (former Acting Chief Administrative Officer), three others and a company
• Case: Irregularities in contract for administrative building construction in FY 2021/22.

Irregularities in Samsi Rural Municipality 

• Case filed: 11 March 2024
• Accused: Shesh Farooq (former Chairperson of Samsi Rural Municipality, Mahottari), Mohibul Ansari (former Acting Chief Administrative Officer), and eight others
• Case: Irregularities in road construction projects in Samsi-6, including improper use of contract engineers for estimation and evaluation

Irregularities in Shahidnagar Municipality

• Case filed: 4 March 2024
• Accused: Uday Kumar Yadav (former Mayor of Shahidnagar Municipality, Dhanusha), Shila Devi Kapar (Deputy Mayor), Shatrughna Yadav (Chief Administrative Officer) and six others
• Case: Procurement of substandard sanitary pads in FY 2020/21 without following public procurement laws

Irregularities in Jaleshwar Municipality

• Case filed: 10 May 2024
• Accused: Suresh Sah Sonar (Mayor of Jaleshwar Municipality, Mahottari), Raushan Khatun (Deputy Mayor), Mitra Lal Dhakal (former Chief Administrative Officer) and nine others
• Case: Substandard work in road construction in Jaleshwar-1