After the Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of Hitendra Dev Shakya as the Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Manoj Silwal—who had been appointed in Shakya’s place—said he has already gone on leave.
Silwal told RatoPati that he stopped attending office immediately after the court verdict on Monday. “After the Supreme Court’s order, I haven’t gone to the office since yesterday. I am on leave,” he said.
He clarified that Shakya, who has now been reinstated by the court, will take over the leadership, and he would not interfere in the process. Silwal added that he is not someone who would “fight for the post” against the court’s order.
Silwal said that during the time he was appointed—based on the government’s decision—he performed to the best of his ability for the benefit of the Authority. He noted that although his tenure was short and not enough to produce visible results, he tried to bring the organization back on track.
“At that time, I did whatever work I could as per the responsibilities given. The tenure was short, so results could not be seen significantly. But I tried to lay a foundation,” Silwal said. He mentioned that NEA was gradually regaining momentum when the court ruling arrived.
Silwal emphasized that while individuals may change in an institution, the institution and its customers remain constant. Therefore, he said, everyone must work honestly to fulfill their responsibilities. “Individuals change, but the institution and customers remain the same. We must remain dedicated to their service,” he added.
Earlier, the government had removed Hitendra Dev Shakya on October 22 and appointed Silwal as the Executive Director of the NEA. Shakya then filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court challenging the decision.
A joint bench of Justices Nahakul Subedi and Shrikant Paudel issued a mandamus order in favor of Shakya, instructing the government to reinstate him. The court found that Shakya was removed in a “prejudiced, retaliatory, and arbitrary” manner without his consent. Shakya is preparing to return to the NEA to resume his duties following the court’s order.
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