Law Minister Dilendra Prasad Badu has been handed over responsibility of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies with senior advocate Govinda Bandi recommended as the new law minister.
The President's Office has issued a statement saying President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed Bandi as the law minister on recommendation of Prime Minister (PM) Sher Bahadur Deuba and transferred Badu to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Thursday afternoon.
Bandi, who is close to CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal, had played an important role in preparing the 12-point interpretative declaration while ratifying the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. He was also instrumental in providing legal consultaion before the current government was formed.
PM Deuba is using the constitutional provision allowing a non-lawmaker to become minister for six months while appointing Bandi.
A Unified Socialist leader claimed with Setopati that Bandi is becoming minister on behalf of the whole coalition and not just the party.
