Kathmandu — Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has said that ministers in the current government must not show favoritism toward any political party, stressing the need for neutrality while holding public office.
Speaking at the Bagmati Province–level Security Conference being held in Lalitpur on Friday, Aryal said members of the government are bound to act impartially and in line with their constitutional duties.
Government Mandate and Elections
Aryal said the government is working under two clear mandates. The first, he explained, is to conduct elections on the scheduled date without delay. The second mandate, he said, comes from the Gen Z–led public movement, which called for improved governance and accountability.
He urged the public not to doubt whether elections will take place, assuring that the government is fully committed to holding them as planned. Aryal also said the administration remains firm in its commitment to maintaining good governance.
Security Environment and Misinformation Risks
Addressing the conference as a special guest, Bagmati Province Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya cautioned that the conduct of ministers in office could affect the overall election environment. He emphasized the importance of strengthening security agencies with adequate resources to ensure elections are held in a clean, fair, and fear-free manner.
Baniya said that unlike past elections, the current situation is not marked by widespread fear or intimidation, but noted that a sense of mistrust still exists. He warned that the misuse of artificial intelligence, the internet, and digital platforms could spread misleading information and influence the upcoming polls, urging the Ministry of Home Affairs and security agencies to remain alert.
The province-level security conference is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bagmati Province Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law. The event is attended by Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya, provincial ministers overseeing internal affairs, and senior security officials.
