Property details of Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung and six ministers of Gandaki Province are yet to be made public though they assumed office around a year and a half ago.

A Cabinet meeting held on March 16, 2018, had issued a 30-point code of conduct which included “making the property details of the Chief Minister, ministers and high-level government officials public” in accordance to the existing legal provisions. But the provincial government has blatantly ignored its own code of conduct.

However, all the ministers submitted their property details to the Chief Minister’s office on time. “All the ministers submitted their property details on time. We will discuss the matter in the upcoming Cabinet meeting and make public the details,” said Physical Infrastructure Development Minister Ramsharan Basnet, who is also the government spokesperson. Discussions are being held between the CM and chief secretary of the province in regards to making the property details public, he added.

Section 50 of the Corruption Prevention Act 2000 states ministers and other high-level government officials must make public their property details within 60 days from the date of assuming office. As per the Act, the people holding public posts should update the property details within 60 days of the end of each fiscal year. The seven-member Cabinet is found to be flouting the laws.

Chief secretary Hari Prasad Basyal confirmed that the ministers and government employees had submitted their property details on time but such details were yet to be made public. “The discussion is on. The property details will likely be made public before Tihar,” said Basyal.