KATHMANDU: Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’-led cabinet has decided to scrap the then Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane’s decision relating to awarding the contract of National Identity Card (NIC).

A cabinet meeting held on Tuesday took a decision to this effect, a minister said under anonymity.

The minister said the government now will investigate the decision taken by then Home Minister Lamichhane.

“The contract agreement related to the national identity card issued by former Minister Lamichhane breaching the existing law has been canceled”, the minister said, adding, “The government will now form an inquiry committee for further investigation on this matter.”

Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha had already prepared to annul the procedure that awarded private companies the responsibility to build a mechanism to obtain the personal details of citizens.

With this, the contract awarded by Lamichhane to the private companies against the Public Procurement Act has also been canceled.

Lamichhane, who became Home Minister on December 26, had approved the procedure on December 28.

However, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chairman has remarked that the aforesaid contract was prepared and forwarded to his desk only for formal touch; and he has taken no personal or institutional benefits on that matter.