KATHMANDU: The Property Inquiry Commission has suspended all operations related to collecting and investigating asset details.

The panel announced the suspension today, citing a Supreme Court interim mandate that blocks its operations until a final ruling is reached on an ongoing constitutional challenge.

The suspension marks a major bottleneck for Prime Minister Balendra “Balen” Shah’s flagship anti-graft initiative, which was launched in mid-April 2026 to investigate the wealth of political and bureaucratic elites accumulated over the past two decades.

The legal standoff intensified after the commission attempted to mandate asset disclosures from retired judges and senior military officers.

Critics and legal experts challenged the move, arguing that the cabinet-formed body violates the separation of powers by encroaching upon the independent disciplinary domains of the judiciary and the military.

On July 10, 2026, the Supreme Court stepped in, ordering the commission to halt any actions against constitutionally protected officials and referring the case to a full bench.

Although the commission initially issued a notice on July 13 stating it would continue to probe mainstream politicians and bureaucrats, a subsequent contempt of court petition filed on July 14 accused the commissioners of deliberately defying the court’s broader mandate.

With the final asset disclosure deadline expiring today, the commission has officially frozen all asset collection and screening indefinitely as it awaits the apex court’s final verdict.