The government has dismissed Kulman Ghising, the managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), just months before the completion of his second term. Ghising, widely recognized for ending household load shedding in the country during his eight-year term, was relieved of his duties following a Cabinet decision.
On Monday, the Cabinet decided to remove Ghising from his position, appointing former NEA Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya as the new managing director. Ghising’s tenure was set to end on 9 Aug 2025.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, referring to the dismissal of Ghising, mentioned that some individuals were blowing things out of proportion. He mentioned that some groups had already started protesting, seeking an issue to criticize. “This is just a small issue. They are turning molehills into mountains. They want to turn this small issue into a big one, making a snake out of a rope.”
Oli retorted in his characteristic style, “How much electricity was generated in the first four years? Did the electricity come immediately after the appointment of this person?” He then warned against spreading misinformation about hard work done over the years, calling it magic or miracles.
The government had been in a prolonged dispute with Ghising, particularly over the dedicated and trunk line electricity supply issue. On Feb 24, the Cabinet sought an explanation from him, questioning why he should not be removed from his position. This was primarily based on four major issues, which included alleged violations of a performance agreement signed on 19 Jan 2022, between Ghising and the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation.
One of the key reasons cited for his dismissal was his failure to submit the performance evaluation report for the fiscal year 2023-24 within the stipulated deadline.
Another major reason cited was Ghising’s alleged unauthorized negotiation with India on electricity import pricing. He reportedly attended the Power Exchange Committee (PEC) meeting without prior approval from the government and signed agreements that led to an increase in electricity import rates. The Cabinet stated that Ghising attended the PEC meetings on Feb 12, and 11 March 2024, without obtaining necessary authorization, thereby violating Nepal’s Treaty Act and related regulations.
The government also accused Ghising of defying multiple directives. Notably, he failed to implement a 10 Nov 2024, Cabinet decision regarding the collection of outstanding dues from industries using dedicated and trunk line electricity. Despite being ordered to resolve the issue within 15 days, he allegedly failed to act on time. Furthermore, he challenged a directive from the Energy Ministry’s technical committee on Dec 19, registering a “note of dissent” in the Nepal Electricity Authority’s board decision.
Ghising’s removal has sparked widespread debate. He had previously clashed with Prime Minister KP Oli’s administration, particularly over the cutting of power supply lines to industries in July 2024, a decision that drew criticism from the business sector. Upon forming a new government, Prime Minister Oli instructed the resumption of power supply to the industries, which Ghising initially resisted before complying on July 23 following written instructions from the Electricity Regulatory Commission.
His dismissal has led to mixed reactions from political circles, business leaders and the general public.
Chairperson of the CPN (Maoist Center), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has expressed strong opposition to the government’s decision calling it unjust. Taking to Facebook, he said, “I hope this news turns out to be false. If true, this decision is completely wrong and objectionable. I strongly condemn this action taken under the arrogance of a so-called two-thirds majority.” He further claimed that the government had been unfairly targeting Ghising for a long time by repeatedly demanding clarifications. “When the people were suffering from extreme load-shedding, my government appointed Kulman Ghising as the Executive Director of NEA. Through his expertise and our leadership, we successfully built a brighter Nepal. However, he has been continuously harassed under the pretext of collecting dues, with the ultimate goal of removing him,” Dahal stated.
Janardan Sharma, the deputy general Secretary of the Maoist Center, also condemned the dismissal of Ghising. He wrote on social media that those who remove people who do good work might feel victorious, but such people will always end up defeated in the long run. He also praised Ghising’s role in ensuring uninterrupted power supply despite the load-shedding and expressed concern over the current government’s actions.
Leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress, General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma, also opposed the decision to dismiss Ghising. They expressed their dissatisfaction, stating that the government’s decision was unjustified. Thapa remarked, “While ministers stray from the right path, it is the Prime Minister’s duty to correct them. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The decision is wrong. The government is heading in the wrong direction, and the right destination cannot be reached this way.” Sharma also criticized the decision, saying, “Even if disciplinary action was necessary, it could have been taken later. The government should not have removed Ghising in a way that undermines good initiatives. This decision is completely inappropriate, and I openly oppose it.”
He further mentioned that internal and public warnings were given to the government to let Ghising complete his term. Thapa stated that while citizens’ dissatisfaction was growing, the government added fuel to the fire. “At a time when public dissatisfaction is rising, a section is trying to exploit this frustration for its vested interests. We work day and night to address these concerns, yet the government itself is fueling the fire of discontent,” he added.
Rajendra Lingden, chair of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), called it a regressive step. “The government’s extreme political interference in the NEA could once again push the energy sector into crisis,” he warned, calling on the public to protest against the decision.
Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), symbolically opposed the government’s decision by posting a video on social media. In the video, he turned off an electric light and lit a candle. Without directly commenting, he captioned the post: “The people will have the final say on who stays and who goes!”
At the Exhibition Road in Kathmandu, protesting students burned an effigy of Energy Minister Deepak Khadka. The student organization affiliated with the CPN (Unified Socialist) led the demonstration, shouting slogans in favor of Ghising and against the government. During a protest speech, Unified Socialist leader Sudesh Parajuli accused the government of siding with corrupt individuals. “This government does not like light; it prefers darkness and black money,” he declared, urging nationwide protests against the decision.
Protests against Ghising’s removal escalated into clashes between demonstrators and police in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala. Supporters marched from Maitighar to New Baneshwor, breaking into restricted areas, leading to police intervention. There were protests at the main entrance of Singhadurbar too.
The decision has drawn widespread criticism from celebrities as well. Actor Hari Bansha Acharya wrote on Facebook, “Kulman is the light of Nepal. He should not have been removed to bring darkness.” Actor Kedar Ghimire commented, “Nepotism prevails!” while director and actor Nischal Basnet remarked, “They found a way to remove Kulman. Perhaps the downfall of the corrupt is now inevitable.”
The matter also entered the Public Accounts Committee of the lower house where most of the MPs objected to the government’s decision. Ram Krishna Yadav, an MP from the Nepali Congress, stated that Ghising should not have been removed and suggested that the Prime Minister should be sent a letter requesting a reconsideration. Aman Lal Modi, an MP from the Maoist Centre, reacted by saying that the government’s decision had taken Nepal back into darkness. He accused the government of working for middlemen by removing Ghising.
Manish Jha, an MP from the RSP, suggested that the government’s stance on the arrears for dedicated and trunk lines should be clarified, and the committee should discuss it. Hari Dhakal, another MP from the RSP, called the government’s action against Ghising a cowardly act.
The matter also plunged into the Gandaki Province Assembly where the MPs stirred up in for and against the government decision.
Meanwhile, Ramu Shrestha, the head of the Bharatpur Distribution Center of NEA, has been assaulted by the members of the National Youth Federation, affiliated with the CPN-UML. An offensive message against Prime Minister Oli was displayed on the digital board of the Distribution Center after Ghising’s removal.
In a press release, the center said a group of 35-40 people entered the center at 10 am on Tuesday and assaulted the office head, while also vandalizing the office space. “The digital information board in the office was hacked, and an offensive and illegal message targeting the honorable Prime Minister displayed. Updating such disrespectful information about the Prime Minister, who holds a prestigious position in the country, is against the state’s constitution and prevailing laws. The Nepal Electricity Authority Bharatpur Distribution Center strongly condemns this unlawful act,” the release stated.
The center has called for an investigation into the incident and demanded that those responsible be brought under the purview of law and appropriate action be taken.
Meanwhile, the government has stated that the protests happening on the streets and social media in support of Ghising are being viewed as normal. In a press conference held on Tuesday, Minister for Communication, Information, and Technology, and government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung said that everyone has the right to disagree with the government’s decisions, and the government does not take such expressions negatively. “The right to express disagreement with the decisions made by the government is there for everyone. They can make statements, and we have not taken it in a negative way,” said Minister Gurung.
