Nepal’s parliamentary hearing of Chudamani Kharel, nominated as the country’s ambassador to Malaysia, was suspended in Kathmandu on Wednesday after lawmakers raised concerns about possible conflicts of interest, his links with manpower business operators and alleged irregularities in a land purchase in Pokhara. Committee Chair Bodh Narayan Shrestha said the hearing had been put on hold for further study, leaving Kharel’s nomination under review rather than concluding the hearing.
Lawmakers raise concerns over Kharel’s background
The questions raised during the hearing centred on whether Kharel’s connections and business-related associations could create conflicts of interest if he were appointed to represent Nepal in Malaysia. Lawmakers also asked about his links with operators in the manpower business, an issue that formed a central part of the scrutiny of his nomination. The concerns were reported by Onlinekhabar and Ratopati.
The questions were raised as part of the parliamentary examination of Kharel’s suitability for the ambassadorial post. The concerns should be understood as issues brought forward by lawmakers for further consideration, not as findings that wrongdoing has been established. The committee’s decision to suspend the hearing indicates that members wanted more time to examine the matters before proceeding.
A separate issue discussed by lawmakers involved an alleged irregularity in a land purchase in Pokhara. The available reports identify the transaction as one of the subjects requiring scrutiny, but do not establish that an irregularity was proven. The allegation adds to the range of questions the committee must consider as it reviews the nomination.
Committee pauses proceedings for further study
Chair Bodh Narayan Shrestha said the hearing had been suspended for further study. His statement establishes the immediate outcome of Wednesday’s proceedings: the committee did not complete its examination at that time. The reports do not describe the suspension as a rejection of Kharel’s nomination, nor do they say the committee had reached a final conclusion about the allegations.
The pause leaves the concerns unresolved. Further study gives the committee an opportunity to consider the questions raised about Kharel’s possible conflicts of interest, his connections with manpower business operators and the Pokhara land purchase before it decides how to proceed. No timetable for resuming the hearing is stated in the reports.
The suspension is therefore a procedural hold, rather than a final determination on the ambassador-designate. It means lawmakers have not yet finished assessing the issues presented during the hearing. Any subsequent decision would depend on the committee’s further consideration, which Shrestha said was the reason for stopping the proceedings.
Questions remain over the nomination
The case places Kharel’s nomination under continued parliamentary scrutiny. The issues raised relate to his associations and a property transaction, while the committee’s stated response has been to pause and study them further. Until the hearing resumes and the committee completes its consideration, the concerns remain questions before the parliamentary process rather than settled conclusions.
The reports provide no further details about the specific nature of Kharel’s links with manpower operators or the alleged irregularities in the Pokhara land purchase. They also do not report a final decision on his nomination. For now, the committee’s position is that additional study is needed before the hearing can move forward.
