Photo: Sagar Neupane
Balendra Shah (Balen), the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) parliamentary party (PP) leader and Prime Minister-designate, has reorganized the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers at Singha Durbar. The new layout, including the seating arrangements for cabinet meetings, strictly adheres to the principles of Vastu Shastra.
According to a source at the Prime Minister’s Office, a three-member team led by Joint Secretary Pradeep Pariyar spent Wednesday reconfiguring the office layout to align with Vastu principles. Pariyar, who previously served as the Chief Executive under Balen Shah during his tenure as Kathmandu’s Mayor, returned to the PMO on Thursday. Accompanied by an architect and Balen’s confidant, Kumar Ben, Pariyar finalized the seating arrangements for the incoming Prime Minister.
Under the architect's guidance, Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Govinda Karki oversaw three primary modifications. According to an office employee, these changes included a complete reconfiguration of the Cabinet meeting hall and a new seating arrangement for diplomatic audiences. Interestingly, while the Prime Minister's specific chair was replaced, its original position remains unchanged.
"The Prime Minister’s chair has been reoriented to face north. The desk remains in its original spot. However, the glass placed on the table has been removed," the employee said, "The chair has been adjusted by moving the national emblem to the right. Earlier, the emblem was placed right behind the Prime Minister’s chair."
When the Nepalkhabar team reached on Thursday, the chair placed in the Prime Minister’s office was being adjusted. All this was done as per the instructions given by Balen’s team, an employee said.
The Prime Minister’s seat in the cabinet was previously facing east, but now it is facing north, according to the employee. The flag placed in the Prime Minister’s Office has also been changed. Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Govinda Karki inspected the Prime Minister’s office today. A new sofa has been brought to the Prime Minister’s Office.
When the Nepalkhabar team reached the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal was busy finalizing the groundwork for the incoming administration until night. From today, entry into the Prime Minister's Office requires explicit permission from the Chief Secretary or the Secretary.
According to the leaders of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balen is preparing to make the Prime Minister's Office very powerful. Balen has planned to practice a powerful Prime Minister like a directly elected executive. According to which, experts will work in many departments under the Prime Minister's Office and the work of the ministry will be monitored.
Balen is preparing to take the oath of office as Prime Minister at 12:34 pm on Friday at the Office of the President in Sheetal Niwas, as per Vedic rituals. According to RSP General Secretary, Kabindra Burlakoti, the oath-taking ceremony will be conducted with seven conches and the Swasti Shanti will be recited from 108 batuks.
Along with this, Buddhist monks have also been invited to the oath-taking ceremony. According to him, 16 Buddhist monks will recite Ashtamangal at the ceremony. The inauguration ceremony has been scheduled for the afternoon after the Prime Minister takes the oath. Balen will assume office in Singha Durbar at 2:15 pm on Friday.
No-entry into the premises
Entry into the premises of the Prime Minister's Office without permission will be prohibited.
An employee of the Prime Minister's Office said, "Right now, you can enter the main gate of the Prime Minister's Office. From tomorrow, you will have to get permission from the top (Prime Minister's Secretariat) to enter through the compound gate."
Starting tomorrow, access through the compound gate will require explicit authorization—a move the employee attributed to past unrest and Gen Z-led protests at the Prime Minister’s Office. This security measure creates a significant hurdle for the public, as the same gate serves as the entrance for the Department of National ID and Civil Registration. Consequently, citizens seeking essential identity services are expected to face new difficulties in accessing the office.
After the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Office in Singha Durbar was set on fire by protesters on September 9, 2025, the new Prime Minister's Office has been temporarily housed in a new building constructed for the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is not certain when the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers destroyed by the fire will be rebuilt.
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