Nepal’s new government has effectively cancelled more than 1,500 major public appointments through a sweeping ordinance issued by President Ramchandra Paudel, local media reported.
These appointments were made before March 26 – the date marking the leadership change in the country.
The Balendra Shah-led Rastriya Swatantra Party swept to power riding on the massive opposition to the legacy parties in the country in the March 5 elections, months after the September 2025 Gen Z protests.
President Ramchandra Paudel on Saturday issued the “Ordinance on Special Provisions for the Removal of Public Office Bearers, 2083” on the recommendation of the council of ministers, triggering widespread disruptions across Nepal’s administrative, health and education sectors, according to The Kathmandu Post newspaper.
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.
It is not uncommon in Nepal for incoming governments to review decisions made by their predecessors, especially appointments to influential public posts. However, the scale of the current move appears wider than usual.
The move has drawn criticism from some who warn it could disrupt the functioning of public bodies, while government officials say it was needed to improve transparency and accountability.
The ordinance led to the dismissal of 1,594 “politically-appointed” office bearers across a wide range of sectors, leaving their positions vacant, myRepublica news outlet reported.
The provision mandates that all appointments made prior to March 26 are automatically terminated, regardless of tenure, benefits or terms of appointment.
The ordinance seems to have targeted a wide range of state-owned enterprises, regulatory bodies, councils, boards, research institutes, prominent universities and media organisations, according to the Kathmandu Post.
Several of these entities – such as the Nepal Electricity Authority, Tribhuvan University, the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, the Nepal Airlines Corporation and the Gorkhapatra Sansthan – now face a leadership vacuum.
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 government has yet to spell out a clear timeline or mechanism for fresh appointments.
A separate ordinance titled “Amendments to Some Nepal Acts” was sent to the Office of the President earlier this week. But it does not comprehensively address the appointment process for all affected entities.
