Kathmandu, 29 July (HS). The appointment of Krishnaman Pradhan to the post of Election Commissioner has been cancelled because the Parliamentary Hearing Committee has rejected the appointment after serious allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled against him. During the previous government of Nepal, the Constitutional Council had recommended the appointment of Krishnaman Pradhan to the post of Election Commissioner.
The Constitutional Council headed by the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda was also criticized in the Parliamentary Hearing Committee for recommending a controversial person. In Nepal, appointment to any constitutional post is made only after the recommendation and approval of the Parliament's Hearing Committee.
Chairman of the Parliament's hearing committee Anand Prasad Dhungana said that Krishnaman Pradhan has been accused in writing of sexual misconduct with a woman and of paying Rs 1.2 crore to the victim to settle the case outside the court. Dhungana said that the hearing committee has unanimously rejected the recommendation of Pradhan's name and cancelled his appointment.
The woman appeared before the parliamentary hearing committee and accused the proposed election commissioner of sexually abusing her and when she complained about it, he pressurised her family members outside the court to withdraw the case and gave them Rs. 1.2 crore. After the hearing that continued for the last three days, today the parliamentary committee has informed about the cancellation of Pradhan's appointment.