Kathmandu, April 15 (NationPress) — The government of Nepal has officially declared the establishment of a commission to scrutinize the assets of prominent political figures and high-ranking bureaucrats who have served in public office over the last two decades, amid serious allegations of widespread corruption involving these individuals.

A Cabinet meeting convened on Wednesday resolved to create a panel tasked with investigating the assets of those who have governed since 2006, the year marking the end of the 'autocratic' reign of King Gyanendra Shah following the second people's movement.

During this timeframe, the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) or CPN-UML, and the former CPN (Maoist Centre) have held power, with their leaders now facing charges related to illegally accumulating wealth through misuse of state authority.

Former Prime Ministers — Sher Bahadur Deuba, K P Sharma Oli, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' — who represent these parties, are currently under investigation for money laundering.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology, and government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel informed reporters that the Cabinet has decided to form a five-member commission, led by former Supreme Court justice Rajendra Kumar Bhandari, to gather, verify, and investigate the asset information of political and bureaucratic leaders in power between 2006 and 2026.

This initiative aligns with the 100-point governance reform agenda unveiled shortly after the new government was established under Prime Minister Balendra Shah. According to the government's announcement on March 27, the commission will first examine the assets of those in office from 2006 to 2026 and subsequently investigate those who held office from 1992 to 2006.

Pokharel emphasized that the inquiry will be carried out fairly, based on concrete evidence, with plans to implement the commission’s findings and recommendations through the appropriate authorities.

The Gen-Z protests in September last year, which resulted in the ousting of the government led by former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, were driven by public discontent over perceived systemic corruption among top political leaders. Following these protests, a new government headed by Sushila Karki was formed, leading to parliamentary elections held on March 5.

In the wake of the elections, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, a relatively new political entity, emerged as the largest party, securing nearly a two-thirds majority. Its senior leader, Balendra Shah, has now assumed the role of Prime Minister, and his administration has begun implementing various measures to combat corruption.