April 4: The Transparency International (TI) Nepal has expressed concern over the recommendation of Toyam Raya to the post of auditor general by the Constitutional Council. As per the law, the responsibility of keeping accounts, conducting audits among others rests upon the auditor general. Raya had been holding the posts of similar nature and therefore TI Nepal has objected to the recommendation of Raya to the post.

The anti-corruption watchdog held the view that while appointing anyone in the high post of the state, it should be ensured that there is no conflict of interest and good-governance is not disturbed.

Raya was the secretary at the National Statistics Office. The council recently recommended Raya to the post of auditor general.

"TI Nepal's serious attention has been drawn towards recommendation of Raya, who has held the post of finance secretary until May 4, 2023 and served as the secretary at the Office of Vice-President and worked as the chief statistics officer at the National Statistics Office, to the post of auditor general," reads the statement issued by TI Nepal.

In the statement TI Nepal said Article 241 of the Constitution of Nepal stipulates that the auditor general is the highest post to audit all agencies of the government of Nepal.

The Economic Procedures and Financial Accountability Act-2076 BS considers anyone working as the secretary in any ministry or any central agencies as the auditor general. The statement issued by TI Nepal's President Padmini Pradhananga mentioned that the code of conduct issued by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) illustrates ethnical conduct of the auditor general. -- RSS