Balen at six months: The test of institutional power
Summary
Balendra Shah’s first six months in office have been marked by a concentration of power, bypassing of cabinet processes, and mounting concerns over institutional accountability. His handling of floods, banking directives, and ties with India has raised questions about the limits of unilateral leadership.
Key Points
- Balendra Shah has concentrated authority in the Prime Minister’s Office, sidelining cabinet deliberation and weakening parliamentary accountability.
- His anti-corruption actions and ministerial changes have been forceful but selective, creating unease within the bureaucracy.
- The Bhotekoshi-Koshi flood exposed coordination failures across federal, provincial and local bodies despite Shah’s rapid personal intervention.
- His abrupt directives on frozen bank funds and refusal to meet India’s visiting Foreign Secretary highlighted the costs of unilateral decision-making.
