AIGs Pokharel, Thapa move Supreme Court against IGP appointment

NL Today

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Kathmandu: Two Additional Inspector Generals (AIGs) of Nepal Police have moved the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday challenging the government’s decision over the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Two AIGs— Bishwo Raj Pokharel and Sahakul Bahadur Thapa—reached the apex court with separate writ petitions demanding to annul the decision to appoint Dhiraj Pratap Singh as Nepal Police Chief.

The Nepal Police has been dragged into controversy after the government appointed Dhiraj Pratap Singh as the new top cop, breaching the regulation of the security force.

[Related: Police chief’s appointment under controversy again: How politicians’ petty interests are eroding nation’s law enforcement agency]

Although the regulation clearly states that the government shall appoint the Inspector General based on merit and seniority, a meeting of the Council of Ministers appointed Singh, who was behind two additional inspector generals–Bishwo Raj Pokharel and Rabindra Dhanuk–in rankings.

Amid controversy, the newly-appointed Nepal Police Chief has been conferred with insignia on Monday morning amid a function at the Ministry of Home Affairs.