Government forms judicial commission to tackle dedicated and trunk line issues

KATHMANDU: In a significant development aimed at resolving challenges related to dedicated and trunk lines, the government has decided to establish a commission under the chairmanship of Supreme Court’s former Justice Girishchandra Lal. The decision was announced by Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet following a Tuesday Cabinet meeting.

Minister Basnet emphasized, “The decision to form a commission under the chairmanship of the former Justice has been made. The decision also includes reconnecting the lines that have been disconnected in the industry.” This decision comes in response to concerns raised by representatives of the industrial sector regarding the disruption of electricity lines.

In a meeting held on Friday, Minister Basnet expressed his commitment to exploring options for problem resolution. Subsequently, he met with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and proposed the formation of a commission to address and resolve the issues.

Prime Minister Dahal, after meeting with affected industrialists in the aftermath of the line cuts, expressed his dedication to establishing a judicial commission for effective problem resolution.

During discussions with industrialists, Prime Minister Dahal invited Chairman of the Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dilli Bahadur Singh, and the Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising, to explore potential solutions to the issues. While Prime Minister Dahal suggested forming a judicial commission, Ghising expressed disagreement, recommending that a regulatory commission would be more suitable.

Ghising raised concerns about potential additional issues arising if a judicial commission was formed. However, considering the urgency of the situation for problem resolution, Prime Minister Dahal, based on the suggestion, decided to establish a judicial commission.

Chandra Prasad Dhakal, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, had previously asserted that a judicial commission would be apt for addressing the dedicated and trunk line dispute. The industry association had also urged the government to form a commission, and this decision marks a proactive step towards resolving the ongoing issues in the sector.