Balendra Shah: Rastriya Swatantra Party Signals Strict Policy on Old Political Appointments, What Is Prime Minister Balendra’s Concern?

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by Prachanda, which is poised to form the government with a majority, has expressed the desire that officials holding political appointments should resign. The party’s general secretary linked this issue with broad reforms across various state institutions. However, the RSP has not yet issued any formal call on the matter. Still, comments made by some party leaders in the media have sparked discussions in political and administrative circles.

“Good governance is essential in all service delivery institutions in the country. Citizens should not have to complain about poor service anywhere,” said RSP General Secretary and newly elected parliamentarian Kavindra Burlakoti. “Our proposed Prime Minister Balendra Shah has shown special interest in this matter.” While the RSP has hinted at adopting a firm policy toward political appointments, some former administrators argue that the current period calls for assessing the situation contextually rather than merely applying legal measures.

“This government has come after a significant change, and with expectations to work with fresh energy, political appointees should resign voluntarily,” said former secretary Sharad Prasad Trital. Legal expert Purnman Shakya also opined that with the formation of the new government, “employees occupying positions where no moral or legal claims remain should step down.”

“However, generally such employees do not resign, and often this process is delayed,” he added. “The new government needs to place its people, but officials currently in the posts often do not leave, which causes problems in service delivery.” According to RSP General Secretary Burlakoti, there are over 1,000 officials holding political appointments.