Home Minister Gurung’s Family Land Holdings Raise Legal Questions

Following the public declaration of assets by the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Sunday, April 12, questions have emerged over the property holdings of Cabinet members — particularly Home Minister Sudhan Gurung.

Gurung’s disclosed assets show that he owns 19 ropani and 15 aana of land in Dhankuta district. Land registered in the name of his father, Dil Bahadur Gurung, includes 30 kattha, or 1.5 bigha, in Chitwan district. In addition, 221 ropani of land in Chunnubri, Gorkha, is listed under the name of his grandfather, Ramsal Gurung, where partition has yet to take place.

Notably, 1 bigha is equal to 1.6 acres.

The law permits an individual or his/her family, as a landowner, to own not more than 10 bigha of land across the country.

The ceiling includes 10 bigha in Tarai region including the inner Tarai, 25 ropani in the Kathmandu Valley, and 70 ropani in the hilly region outside the Valley.

Section 7 – Upper ceiling of land allowed to be owned by a person as landowner – in Chapter 3 of the Land Act, 1964, defines these ceilings.

Sub-Section 7(1) says: “Any person or his/her family may, as a landowner, own land within the following ceiling in the following area, not exceeding a total of 10 Bigaha:
(a) All Tarai regions including inner Tarai - 10 Bigaha
(b) Kathmandu Valley - 25 Ropani
(c) All hilly regions except Kathmandu Valley - 70 Ropani

Sub-Section 7 (2) adds: “Notwithstanding anything contained in Sub-section (1), any person or his/her family may, in addition to the land as referred to in Subsection (1), own such land as is required for house and premises not exceeding the following ceiling:

(a) All Terai regions including inner Terai -1 Bigaha

(b) Kathmandu Valley -5 Ropani

(c) All hilly regions except Kathmandu Valley -5 Ropani” 

The law further provides that land held beyond the ceiling can be confiscated and the concerned individual may face penalties.

Legal experts say the disclosed holdings raise concerns about possible long-term violations of land ceiling provisions.

Former Attorney General Ramesh Badal said the asset details indicate that the Gurung family may have exceeded legal limits for decades. According to him, despite clear restrictions under the 1964 Act, the family appears to have held land beyond the ceiling in the hills.

Badal also questioned whether the state would take action to confiscate excess land and recover any potential losses. “It appears the law has been violated,” he said, “Will the state act?” 

Additionally, Gurung has over Rs 43.1 million invested in the stock market. He holds 30,000 ordinary shares in Hope Holdings Pvt. Ltd. and 5,700 ordinary shares in Lagum Premium Apartments Pvt. Ltd., along with other shares worth Rs 34.4 million in the stock market.

Referring to a quote often attributed to Bill Gates or his father — “If you are born poor, it is not your mistake, but if you die poor, it is your mistake”— Minister Gurung wrote in an Instagram post that earning wealth honestly before entering government is not a sin. However, he said, accumulating wealth through corruption after assuming public office is indeed a sin.