The metropolis is currently involved in discussion and controversy regarding the chief administrative officer. We have tried to find out why the Kathmandu Metropolitan City was dragged into the controversy of the chief administrative officer and what is the reason behind it.

33 months have passed since Mayor Balen Shah was elected as Mayor. In the meantime, four chief administrative officers have arrived in Kathmandu. Loknath Paudyal, Basant Adhikari, Pradeep Pariyar and Saroj Guragai.

Balen was the chief administrative officer of the metropolis before coming as mayor, Loknath Paudyal. He worked with Balen for only three months. Then Basant Adhikari came in his place. The tenure of the officer became controversial due to the issue of staff appointment. He worked with Mayor Balen for 16 months.

After that, Pradeep Periyar came in charge of the chief administrative officer of the metropolis. His tenure was without controversy. Some signs of improvement were also seen during his time. Compared to the last five years, the budget expenditure of the metropolis reached 51 percent. This achievement also happened during Pariyar's time.

But within 8 months of coming to the metropolis, the federal government transferred him to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. And Saroj Guragai came to this place. These Guragai have now become controversial. The reason is, the issue of approval of the map of Kathmandu Tower building construction. Guragai is accused of approving the construction of the Kathmandu Tower without completing the map process.

This issue has now become a tension for the federal government and the metropolis. On January 5, 2081, the Metropolitan Corporation held a press conference and informed that it would investigate Guragai on the allegation that the map of the Kathmandu Tower building was approved. A committee was also formed for investigation, but no report was made. After the

committee failed to prepare a report, Mayor Balen sought an opinion from the city's urban management, law and human rights and public works departments on February 19. And submitted this opinion to the federal ministry.

In the meantime, Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragai submitted an application to the Federal Ministry on February 21. It included the issue of improving the working environment in the metropolis. The day after the application was submitted, ie on February 22, the ministry sent a letter to the metropolis asking them to improve the working environment. But Mayor Balen is not ready to make Guragai appear in the metropolis.

Kathmandu Tower is a building with a bus park built on land owned by the Metropolitan Municipality under the Public Private Partnership concept. The authority to decide on the operation and management of such projects is the jurisdiction of the Partnership Board and Municipal Executive established in accordance with Section 11 Subsection (2) of (g) and Section 97 of the Local Government Operation Act, 2074 and Section 17 of the Partnership and Investment Act, 2079 approved by the City Council of Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Mayor Balen sent an answer to the ministry that he was not ready to bring the chief administrative officer who did the wrong work to the attention of the project, which should be decided and resolved at the policy level of the partnership board and the municipal executive. Balen also requested the Acting Chief Administrative Officer to give him financial authority to assist in the operation of the office. Not only that, the mayor also asked the ministry to take charge of the task if Guragai was to be brought to appear.

Guragai is on home leave since this dispute started. Govinda Prasad Sharma was handling his duties as Chief Administrative Officer. After January 27, Sharma did not remain in this responsibility. Nurnidhi Neupane came in his place. For the purpose of

, the chief administrative officer has no financial rights. Therefore, the payment of about 75 million rupees has been stopped for projects above 10 million rupees and the salary of all public representatives and employees.