Kathmandu, March 15
Nepal’s telecommunications regulator, Nepal Telecommunications Authority, has decided that the government cannot issue a new mobile phone licence to CG Telecom, a company under the Chaudhary Group led by ruling Nepali Congress leader Binod Chaudhary.
Last month, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology had sought the authority’s views on the issue. Studying the proposal, the authority said the company could not get such a licence as the company does not meet the criteria.
But still, the authority’s suggestion is not legally binding, and the government can make a decision on its own.
The ministry has also not withdrawn the procedure either, meaning a decision would be made shortly. Apparently, it will depend on Communications Secretary Baikunths Aryal’s willingness as he should be ready to face action from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority if the anti-corruption constitutional body looked into it.
