Hearing for the proposed ambassadors for America and Britain has been postponed for November 12.
Four complaints have been received against Yuba Raj Khatiwada and Lok Darshan Regmi who have been recommended as envoys to America and Britain respectively after the Parliamentary Hearing Committee invited complaints. But the complainants, who had not mentioned their contact numbers, have not come into contact with the committee until its deadline expired on Monday.
Chairman of the committee Laxman Lal Karna has now scheduled the hearing for November 12.
The Cabinet meeting on October 1 had recommended former finance minister Khatiwada as envoy to America and Regmi, who resigned from chief secretary on the same day, to the Great Britain.
Sources claim that PM Oli had asked Regmi to resign before his term was to end and the latter put appointment as envoy to Britain as a condition for that. Had Regmi served until his term ended on October 19, Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, who was named the new chief secretary during the Cabinet meeting that very day, would have retired on October 8.
Khatiwada was recently appointed as an advisor with perks and benefits of a minister.
Khatiwada, who also filled in as the government spokesperson and communication and information technology minister since Gokul Baskota resigned over the audio tape alleging him of dealing for bribe, had resigned as finance minister on September 4.
His term as the National Assembly member had ended on March 3 after two years following drawing of lottery. Khatiwada had been serving as minister despite not being a federal lawmaker but he could no longer continue as a minister without being a lawmaker for over six months.
The Constitution does not allow non-lawmaker to serve as minister for more than six months.
PM Oli wanted to again nominate Khatiwada to the National Assembly and continue him as finance minister arguing there are no other competent persons to handle the economy in the current difficult situation. But Oli had to relent and recommend CPN Vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam to the National Assembly after failing to convince the nine-strong secretariat.
