Kathmandu, June 13: The government has decided to implement the report of the High-level Commission on Government and Public Land Investigation and Protection (Rawal Commission), which was submitted to the then government 31 years ago but never previously acted upon.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers, held on Friday, decided to enforce the report, respecting a directive order issued by the Supreme Court in the name of the government regarding its implementation.
In 1995, the Commission, formed under the chairmanship of former secretary Ram Bahadur Rawal, investigated government and public lands encroached upon by land mafias and individuals across the country. The commission prepared its report after nearly two years of its formation.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to maintain systematic records (land registers) of all government and public lands across the country and to ensure their protection, in line with the Supreme Court’s order, according to Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokhrel, after the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office, Singha Durbar.
The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs, and General Administration has been instructed to implement both decisions, according to him.
The decision has paved the way for clear encroachments on all government and public land identified by the Rawal Commission report within the then Kathmandu Metropolitan City area, based on the 2021 B.S. land survey. The report covers encroachments across all 35 wards, totalling 1,859 ropani 14 aana 3 paisa 3 daam of public and government land.
Action will also be initiated against encroachers in accordance with prevailing laws, said Minister Pokharel.
While serving as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the current Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, had attempted to implement the commission’s report even during his tenure. For that purpose, he formed a team and conducted a study, but the implementation did not move forward at that time. After becoming Prime Minister, he secured a Cabinet decision to implement the commission’s report.
The detailed study report, prepared with the involvement of people’s representatives from each ward of Kathmandu, was submitted to the government back in 1995 (2052 BS). The commission’s report includes a list identifying those who encroached upon 1,859 ropanis of government and public land.
On 31 December 1992, the government, led by then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, formed the commission to study encroachments on public land within Kathmandu Metropolitan City but it gathered dust since then.
After receiving the report, on 21 December 1995, the Council of Ministers decided to form a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu to reclaim government and public land as per the report. However, the committee did not carry out any work.
When the then Chief District Officer was unable to act, the government formed another committee under the Deputy Director of the Department of Land Revenue. This committee also failed to recover the encroached government and public land.
On 19 April 1999, another committee was formed under the leadership of the Director General of the Department of Land Revenue. This committee too failed to carry out the task of reclaiming the encroached land.
As committees continued to be formed without results, advocate Prakash Mani Sharma, among others, filed a writ petition against the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers at the Supreme Court in 2003. On 26 May 2010, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the implementation of the report prepared by the Rawal Commission. The SC also directed that it be implemented with “high priority and as quickly as possible”, but the order remained largely unfulfilled.
Task Force term extended
Meanwhile, the government has extended the term of the task force preparing a discussion paper on constitutional amendment.
The Cabinet meeting extended the task force’s mandate by one month, until mid-July, 2026, according to the government Spokesperson Pokharel.
The task force was formed on March 30, 2026, under the leadership of Asim Shah, Chief Political Advisor to Prime Minister Balendra Shah. It has been assigned to hold consultations with various stakeholders and prepare a discussion paper based on collected suggestions for constitutional amendments.
The government has appointed Ramesh Kumar Dhital of Sindhupalchok as chairperson of the Accounting Standards Board.
‘Govt takes steps over reported SSB entry into Susta’
The government has said it will take necessary steps following reports that personnel of India’s Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) entered Susta.
Speaking while announcing the decisions of Friday’s Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take the required diplomatic measures.
“Nepali citizens living in Susta have long been protecting the land. They have been safeguarding it for decades. They deserve respect. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take necessary steps in this regard,” he said.
Minister Pokharel added that Nepal is continuing diplomatic efforts through the foreign ministry to resolve the border dispute with India. He also clarified that this has not been happened due to Prime Minister’s address to the House.
According to local reports, SSB personnel entered Tharu Tole in Susta Rural Municipality–5 at around 7:00 am on Friday, prompting local residents to confront them.
In a separate remark, Minister Pokharel clarified that no committee will be formed to investigate Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle.
The opposition parties have been demanding a parliamentary probe, alleging changes in tax rates in the budget. However, Pokharel, who is also the government spokesperson, said the government does not see the need for such a committee at present.
“The Finance Minister has already clarified this matter. He has responded to the concerns raised, both in parliament and in committees. At this stage, we do not feel the need for any further inquiry,” he said.
Minister Pokharel also said that a report on an investigation into Home Minister Sudan Gurung will not be made public immediately. Responding to the queries of journalist, he said the government would decide on its release if necessary.
He added that Minister Gurung has already returned to the Home Ministry after the probe committee submitted its report. “If there was a need to absolve him of allegations completely, such a committee would not have been formed in the first place. The report will be made public only if and when the government deems it necessary,” he said. #nepal
