Private sector telecom giant Ncell has appealed to Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen), requesting a formal review of recent government decisions, unfair conditions, and controversial amendments to the Telecommunications Regulations.
In a letter addressed to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ncell CEO Michael Foley argued that these state-imposed measures undermine foreign investment and harm the telecom sector. Foley urged the Prime Minister to direct relevant authorities to reconsider the regulations.
This follows an earlier appeal submitted by Ncell on January 7, 2026, to the Prime Minister’s Office, key ministries, and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. With the government failing to respond to its initial grievances, the operator submitted a fresh petition.
Ncell emphasized that the Cabinet holds the legal authority to revise, amend, or revoke past decisions if they contain legal errors, ambiguities, or if circumstances change in the public interest. Since the original detrimental decisions were taken at the Cabinet level, Ncell asserts that the current deadlock can only be resolved through a fresh decision by the Council of Ministers.
"If a decision needs to be rectified, the Council of Ministers itself can revoke the old decision and make a new one. Since the Council of Ministers made the decision regarding Ncell and is the authority that can resolve the issue, Ncell has requested a review," reads the Ncell's letter.
Background
On December 1, 2023, Axiata UK exited Nepal by selling its 80% stake in Ncell to Spectralite UK, owned by Satish Lal Acharya. The transaction sparked controversy for lacking prior regulatory approval and remains unrecognized by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority.
While the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to annul the deal—instructing authorities to act according to law—the government formed a high-level probe committee. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Ncell stated that the government unfairly brought a purely commercial transaction to the Cabinet, leading to an unjust decision based on propaganda.
The content of the letter
एनसेलको मुख्य कम्पनीको सेयर खरिदबिक्री तथा सोको नेपाली कानुनअनुसार अभिलेख र स्वीकृति सम्बन्धमा नेपाल सरकारबाट ६ फागुन २०८० मा भएको कानुनविपरीतको निर्णय, उक्त निर्णयका आधारमा अनुमतिपत्र नवीकरणका समयमा नेपाल दूरसञ्चार प्राधिकरणबाट तोकिएको अन्यायपूर्ण शर्तहरु, दूरसञ्चार नियमावली २०५४ (दशौँ संशोधन) र मन्त्रिपरिषद्को १३ भदौ २०८१ को निर्णय समेत कानुनसम्मत नभएको र उल्लिखित निर्णयहरुका कारण नेपालको संविधान प्रदत्त मौलिक हकमा प्रत्यक्ष प्रतिबन्ध लाग्ने अवस्था सिर्जना भई प्रचलित विदेशी लगानी तथा प्रविधि हस्तान्तरण ऐन २०७५ समेतको विपरीत हुने गरी गरिएको निर्णयले समग्र विदेशी लगानी तथा दूरसञ्चार क्षेत्रको हितमा नरहेकोले उल्लिखित नेपाल सरकारका निर्णयहरु नियमावलीको व्यवस्थालाई पुनरवलोकन गरी सम्बन्धित निकायहरुलाई निर्देशन जारी गरिपाउन तहाँ प्रधानमन्त्री तथा मन्त्रिपरिषद्को कार्यालयमा यस कम्पनीबाट २३ पुस २०८२ मा निवेदन गरिएकोमा हालसम्म कुनै निर्णय–निर्देशन प्राप्त हुन नआएको हुँदा पुनः उक्त पत्र यसैसाथ संलग्न गरी निवेदनबमोजिम पुनरवलोकन गरी सम्बन्धित निकायलाई गरिपाउन अनुरोध गर्दछौँ।
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