The latest report issued by Transparency International ranks Nepal among the most corrupt countries globally at a lowly 117 out of 180 nations. While Nepal’s position on the index hasn’t changed, the perception amongst people is that the situation concerning corruption has been going downhill for many years, and it has only gotten worse over time, and what we are witnessing today is only the tip of the iceberg. There may be some who would take comfort from the fact that we haven’t slipped further down the index. But what pride is there in languishing at the bottom of the list?

Hardworking ordinary citizens bear the ramifications of being labelled as citizens of a corrupt state. They risk life and limb in foreign lands facing unwarranted scrutiny at every step. Whether it is the state of affairs in a country that exacerbates corruption or whether rife corruption expedites the dismantling of a state’s administrative order is somewhat a chicken and egg situation. But what is evident is that most countries that are languishing at the bottom of the corruption index share very similar characteristics—low political transparency, high levels of bureaucracy and inefficient administrative structures, to cite a few.

And these are the very features that seem to plague Nepal. The chief justice is embroiled in a fiasco in trying to have a relative appointed as a minister in the current government. While the accusation was never proved, the situation soon spiralled out of control, pushing Gajendra Bahadur Hamal, the person at the centre of the controversy, to tender his resignation. It’s often difficult to prove accusations against the influential in Nepal, but to wipe off a blemish etched on the highest seat of justice will be a tall order. If the chief justice cannot uphold the sanctity of the Supreme Court, then who can?

At the same time, we have politicians who are constantly at each other’s throats, always trying to outdo each other and taking unethical political steps to either usurp power or hold on to it. And while the people were battling the surging virus, the politicians were fighting for power and position. It is an open secret that "greasing palms" is a pretty standard practice in this world. One wouldn’t want to be stuck in a grimy government office for more time than is necessary. Therefore, for even the simplest of tasks, people will oblige by paying their way out of it to avoid the indignation of government officials.