Nepal govt set to cancel nearly 1,600 ‘politically motivated’ appointments

2 min read Kathmandu May 4, 2026 05:45 AM IST Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah. (AP/File) Around 1,600 political appointees holding constitutional positions and heading government boards and corporations are set to lose their jobs en masse through a sweeping ordinance issued by President Ramchandra Paudel, local media reported. The move aims to target politically motivated appointments made by previous governments, including the Sushila Karki-led interim government formed after the ‘Gen Z’ movement, according to the reports. The termination of service ordinance, approved by President Poudel, is expected to come into effect at any moment, rendering 1,594 people jobless. Those affected will include vice-chancellors, rectors and deans of universities; chiefs and commissioners of all constitutional bodies; heads of government media; and chiefs and board members of government authorities. Once implemented, the ordinance will amend 110 laws and affect the functioning of as many bodies. The impact is expected to be particularly noticeable in sectors such as education, healthcare and public service delivery. And, in many cases, routine operations are likely to be disrupted due to the absence of authorised signatories, the media reports suggest. The Balendra Shah led government has yet to spell out a clear timeline or mechanism for fresh appointments.