News of Insurance — The government has opened the process to appoint a new chairperson of the Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA), following the dismissal of former chief Sharad Ojha over allegations of using fraudulent documents during his appointment.

Ojha, who faced a writ petition at the Supreme Court and an investigation by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), was removed earlier this week.

In a public notice issued Saturday, the recommendation committee invited eligible Nepali citizens to apply for the post. Applicants must submit a confidential letter to the Financial Sector Management and Institutions Coordination Division of the Ministry of Finance within seven working days.

The minimum eligibility requires a master’s degree in insurance, finance, banking, commerce, management, public administration, statistics, mathematics, economics, or law, along with over five years of senior managerial experience in the relevant field.

The committee led by National Planning Commission Vice-Chairperson Prof. Shivraj Adhikari, with Finance Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyay and expert member Khomraj Kharel will shortlist three candidates. Nominees will be required to present their action plans and attend interviews, after which the Council of Ministers will appoint the top-ranked candidate.