After failing to hold even one meeting for a month, former Governor Vijaynath Bhattarai, a member of the Governor Selection Recommendation Committee for Nepal Rastra Bank, has resigned. The Council of Ministers formed a recommendation committee under the coordination of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel on March 11. Bhattarai as a former governor and Vishwa Paudel as an expert member were members of the committee.
Bhattarai said that he decided not to sit in the committee due to the fact that not a single meeting was held for such a long time and the role of the committee was being ignored. "As there is no point in sitting in the committee anymore, I have decided not to sit in the committee with effect from today (Tuesday)," he said.
Discussions are going on in the economic-political market regarding the selection of the governor, but the meeting of the recommendation committee has not been held for almost a month. According to the National Bank Act, a new governor must be appointed one month before the post of governor becomes vacant. But the tenure of outgoing Governor Mahaprasad Adhikari ended on 24th of Chait.
According to the provisions of the National Bank Act, the government formed the Governor's Recommendation Committee on March 11 (the term of the governor was ending). It took 6 days to give the letter to the recommendation committee members. Although the letter was received on March 17, the meeting of the committee could not be held until Monday.
Especially the committee meeting could not be held because of the tussle between the ruling party Nepali Congress and UML about who will be the governor. The members have been expressing their displeasure before because the committee meeting could not be held.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Paudel has given Deputy Governor Neelam Dhungana Timsina the responsibility of Acting (Kamu) Governor due to the delay in the appointment of the new Governor.
