Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle Denies Budget Leak Allegations, Calls Claims Baseless

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has dismissed allegations of irregularities related to the alleged leakage of budget information prior to its presentation in Parliament, stating that the claims are baseless and misleading.

Responding to queries during a meeting of the House of Representatives Finance Committee regarding the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure (Budget) for Fiscal Year 2026/27, he clarified that accusations of leaked tax information and the alleged import of BYD electric vehicles on May 28 were unfounded.

The Finance Minister had presented the national budget for FY 2026/27 in a joint sitting of both houses of the Federal Parliament on May 29, in line with constitutional provisions.

He further explained in the committee meeting that minor amendments were made to the Finance Bill to address omissions from the budget statement, emphasizing that no substantive changes were introduced after presentation to lawmakers.

Wagle also alleged that misinformation regarding the budget was being deliberately circulated to create controversy and damage the credibility of the government. He stated that there was an organized attempt to obstruct parliamentary proceedings and mislead the public without factual basis.

“No changes have been made to the Finance Bill beyond correcting visible errors after presenting it to sovereign MPs,” he said, adding that such allegations should not undermine the government’s efforts toward good governance.

During the meeting, committee member Lima Adhikari described the budget as historic and transformative, noting that many concerns were clarified through the Finance Minister’s response. Another member, Narendra Kumar Kerung, also commented that claims dismissing past government performance were inaccurate.