KATHMANDU: Krishnaman Pradhan, nominated to be the Election Commissioner, has withdrawn his candidacy after strong opposition from the Parliamentary Hearing Committee. He formally informed the committee of his decision through a written application. A meeting had been scheduled to discuss his nomination, but with no Members of Parliament supporting him, Pradhan requested to withdraw his name voluntarily instead of facing formal rejection. Consequently, the committee rescheduled their meeting for further deliberations.
The Constitutional Council had recommended Pradhan for the role, and the parliamentary committee had previously conducted a hearing with him. According to the constitution, the President appoints the Election Commissioner following the committee’s approval. The committee unanimously agreed that Pradhan lacked the "high moral character" required by the Constitution. They were the target of numerous allegations, one of which alleged Pradhan had settled a lawsuit for a huge sum of money and sexually abused a lady in exchange for a job.
A cash check and a judicial settlement agreement were included in one of the five accusations filed against Pradhan as proof of sexual abuse. The complainant clarified that her concern about further suffering as a result of the physical harm she endured had an impact on the settlement.
