Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s Secretariat has issued a formal clarification after questions were raised about Chief Personal Secretary Adarsha Kumar Shrestha and reports suggesting he appointed relatives within the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
The Secretariat released a statement on Monday, saying the allegations had created confusion and emphasizing that all appointments were made according to existing legal procedures.
Legal Basis for Appointments and Secretariat Staffing Structure
According to the statement, the Chief Personal Secretary is appointed directly by the Prime Minister, while other Secretariat staff can be appointed by the Chief Personal Secretary under the Prime Minister’s instruction.
The Secretariat said the recent appointments were made under these legal provisions. It also noted that the Secretariat is operating with significantly fewer staff than its approved structure to minimize financial pressure on the state.
Seven advisor positions exist, but only two are filled; 19 expert positions are permitted, but only four are occupied, including one unpaid staff member. Although 41 staff positions are sanctioned for the Secretariat, only 14 individuals are currently working, bringing the total number of active personnel to 20.
Security, Trust, and Clarification on Nepotism Claims
The Secretariat stated that Prime Minister Karki has only her husband as a family member and selected a trusted individual capable of providing close and continuous support due to security and operational needs.
The statement said that the role requires someone to remain at the Prime Minister’s residence, assist closely, and be available even around the clock, making a dependable and trustworthy person essential.
It requested that this lawful appointment not be misinterpreted. The Secretariat also objected to attempts to associate unrelated staff with Adarsha Shrestha, saying that similar surnames or ethnic backgrounds should not be used to claim forced familial ties.
