The government appears to be intent on curbing corruption. It has decided to form a three-member judicial commission chaired by a Supreme Court judge to investigate the assets of all individuals?and their families?who have been in public office since 1990. It expects over 1,000 individuals to be investigated, including six prime ministers, four deputy prime ministers, a large number of ministers, parliamentarians, and elected representatives of District Development Committees and municipalities. Government servants above grade three and their families will also be under investigation.

Government spokesman and Minister for Information and Communication Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta also told a press gathering last Monday that the authorities expected a report in six months and that they also planned to introduce a bill aimed at empowering the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and curbing widespread corruption. If that is the case, maybe they should take former Nepali Congress Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at his word. Investigations should begin at home.