Nepal bans stock trading in government offices nationwide

KATHMANDU: The government has imposed a nationwide ban on stock trading within all government offices, effective from Sunday. The decision follows a request by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which discovered that government employees were conducting stock transactions through the Trading Management System (TMS) during office hours at Singha Durbar.

In a directive issued on Sunday, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) instructed all ministries, commissions, secretariats, and offices to ensure that TMS is no longer accessible on government premises. The directive further mandates government offices to develop a monitoring system using Information Technology to track and prevent employees from trading stocks during office hours.

The OPMCM has also directed the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to enforce the ban across all local government levels. Additionally, the Regional Coordination Department, under the Prime Minister’s Office, has been tasked with ensuring the implementation of this directive across all provinces.

The CIAA, which played a key role in uncovering the misuse of government resources for personal financial transactions, stressed that such activities during office hours are strictly prohibited. The agency urged the Prime Minister’s Office to take immediate action to halt these practices.

This move aims to curb potential misuse of government time and resources and reinforce the integrity of public office operations, ensuring that government employees focus on their official duties during working hours.