Kathmandu – Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya has said he will work in close coordination with the government for the remaining period of his tenure, following his reinstatement by the Supreme Court.
Assuming office on Wednesday after the court invalidated the government’s decision to transfer him, Shakya stated that he now has one and a half years left in his term. “During this period, I will work to achieve excellent results at the Authority. I will work closely with the government in the coming days,” he said.
Shakya returned to the post after the Supreme Court ruled that the decision made by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation—under Minister Kulman Ghising—was unlawful. The court stated that Shakya’s removal was carried out in a prejudicial, vindictive and arbitrary manner.
Shakya expressed commitment to improving electricity services, saying his priority would be providing sustainable and reliable power to consumers. He added that the NEA would now also increase its own electricity generation capacity. “For many years, the NEA relied only on subsidiary companies to generate power. In the future, the NEA itself will expand its production,” he said.
Reflecting on his three decades of service, Shakya said he was not intimidated by the challenges he faced. “I have served the NEA and the country for more than 30 years. I am not afraid. I will continue working with the same dedication,” he said.
He also remarked that timely judicial proceedings helped him secure justice. “In my previous term, hearings were postponed nearly 35 times. I never demanded a decision in my favor—only timely hearings. This time, the court proceeded on schedule, and I received justice,” he noted.
On Monday, a joint bench of Justices Dr. Nahakul Subedi and Shrikant Poudel overturned the Cabinet’s decision of October 20, which had transferred Shakya to the Water and Energy Commission and appointed Manoj Silwal as the new Executive Director of NEA. With the ruling, Shakya is now legally entitled to serve out the full remainder of his term.
Shakya was initially appointed Executive Director on 11 Chaitra 2081. He was removed shortly after former NEA chief Kulman Ghising became the Energy Minister during the Gen Z–driven political changes. The reinstatement order reached NEA on Tuesday, after which Shakya returned to the office on Wednesday.
