Controversial Samim Miya Ansari appointed Muslim commission chair

KATHMANDU, March 21: Controversial Nepal Communist Party (CP) leader Samim Miya Ansari took oath of office and secrecy as the chairperson of the Muslim Commission after the Parliamentary Hearing Committee (PHC) was unable to recommend a candidate even after 45 days.

Ansari has been facing accusation that his citizenship certificates have discrepancies. PHC members have stated that the details related to his address and date of birth in his original and duplicate citizenship did not match.

According to the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, Ansari’s original citizenship certificate has 10 October, 1980 as his date of birth whereas his duplicate certificate, which he has presented, has mentioned his dob as 10 October, 1973.

The PHC must recommend or reject a candidate within 45 days. If the PHC fails to give a verdict within the stipulated time, the candidate automatically becomes eligible for the post.

PHC has also stated that his name was proposed without removing it from the closed list of Proportional Representation list for the House of Representatives in 2017 elections, which also make Ansari ineligible to head the constitutional body.

He was also in the list of NCP Central Committee members’ list which also makes him ineligible to the post, claims PHC members.

However, PHC remained indecisive and failed to produce a verdict before the deadline on Asari’s fate.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari, on recommendation of the Constitutional Council, appointed Asarai as the chair of the commission. President also appointed Balananda Poudel as the chairperson of the National Natural Resources and Finance Commission, Dr Shanta Raj Subedi as the chairman of the National Inclusion Commission, Bijaya Kumar Dutta as the chairman of the Madhesi Commission and Bishnu Prasad Chaudhari as the chairman of the Tharu Commission.

Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed chairs in the presence of President Bhandari at Shital Niwas.

Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun; Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Bhanubhakta Dhakal; Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamfe; heads of constitutional bodies and chiefs of the security bodies; and special class office-bearers of the Government of Nepal were also present on the occasion.