Statistics Act, 2015 (1958)
Date of Authentication                                                              Publication in the Nepal Gazette
2015.8.10 (25 Nov. 1958)                                                        2015.8.10 (25 Nov. 1958)    (3 Dec. 1958)

Amendments                                                                                    Date of Authentication and Publication
1. Stattistics (Amendment) Act, 2018(1961)                              2018.9.13 (27 Dec. 1961)
2. Some Nepal Laws (Amendment and
Rearrangement) Act,                                                                       2020 (1964) 2020.11.16 (27 Feb. 1962)
3. Summary Procedures Act,                                                         2028 (1972) 2028.12.20 (2 April 1972) 4.
Statistics (Second Amendment) Act,                                                  2030(1974) 2030.12.11(24 March 1974)
5. Judicial Administration Reform Act,                                             2031(1974) 2031.4.18(3 Sept. 1974)
6. Judicial Administration Reform (Fourth Amendment) Act ,    2043 (1986 2043.7.24(10 Nov. 1986)
7. Administration of Justice Act,                                                               2048 (1991)) 2048.2.16 (30 May 1991)
8. Republic Strengthening and Some Nepal Laws Amendment Act,  2066 (2010) 1 2066.10.7 (21 Jan. 2010)

Act No. 20 of 2015 (1958)
An Act Made to Facilitate the Collection of Statistics
Whereas, in order to formulate policies that may bring forth substantial benefit to the people in greater extent, enhance the administrative efficiency of the governmental departments and acquire actual information regarding the economic activities in the country, the Government of Nepal requires realistic basis and, to acquire such basis, it is expedient to make provisions to facilitate the collection of statistics and to establish a Central Bureau for the collection, consolidation publication and analysis of statistics, and thereby to maintain peace and tranquility
and provide for the convenience and economic wellbeing of the general public 2 ; Now, therefore, be it enacted and promulgated by His Majesty the King, on the advice of the Council of Ministers

2. Definitions : Unless the subject or the context otherwise requires, in this Act,-
(a) “Authorized Officer” means the officer authorized by a notified order to collect such statistics and details of information as required to be collected pursuant to the provisions of this Act.
(b) “Director General” means the Director General of the Central Bureau of Statistic appointed by the Government of Nepal.
(c) “Notified order” means an order published in the Nepal Gazette.
(d) “Officer of the Bureau” means an officer appointed as the officer of the Central Bureau of Statistics.
(e) “Prescribed” or “as prescribed” means prescribed or as prescribed in the Rules framed under this Act.

3. Power to require production of details : The Government of Nepal, by a notified order, may require persons of any class to supply to the Director General such information, records and statistics in their possession or  control in such a format and within such a time as may be specified in the notified order.

(1) The Government of Nepal may, by a notified order, issue direction for the collection of statistics
concerning any matter as provided in this Section.
(2) The following arrangements may be made by an order notified pursuant to Sub-section (1):
(a) Specify the details of information required to be collected;
(b) Appoint or nominate officers authorized for the collection of such information, prescribe the functions,
duties and powers of such officers, and prescribe the procedures required to be be followed by them in the
exercise of and carrying out of such functions, duties and powers; and
(c) Provide for all other contingent situations or make such provisions which in the opinion of the
Government of Nepal would facilitate the collection of statistics required to be collected pursuant to such an
order

5. Power of the Director General to require production of details :
The Director General may by himself or herself or through any other officer issue a written Notification and inform to require any person to submit to him or her any information, details and statistics in such a format and
within such a time as may be specified in the Notification.

The Director General or any of the authorized officers working under his or her jurisdiction or any officer exercising
powers conferred by the Director General in writing pursuant to Section 5 may, either for the purpose of the collection of statistics concerning any thing that may be specified in the order issued pursuant to Section 3 or 4 or
under the Notification issued pursuant to Section 5 or for the purpose of ascertaining the genuineness of records, particularss details or information collected pursuant to such an order or Notification, take any of the
following steps:
(a) To enter, by giving prior information and within a reasonable time, into any land or house in the possession or control of any person under the duty to provide any information or details;
(b) To order the production before him or her of any document or article in the possession or control of such a person and to examine such document or article; and
(c) To ask any question to any person about whom he or she has reasonable ground to believe that such a person has information about any statistics required to be collected pursuant to the provisions this Act.

7. Power to demand for details : The Director General may, by a Notification published in the Nepal Gazette, request persons of any class to submit before him or her such information or statistics in such a format and  within such a time as may be specified in such a Notification .

(1) If any government office, a government owned or such other organization receiving government aid for this purpose or foreign national or institution desires to collect any details, information or statistics of any  economic matters for professional purpose, such an office, organization, national or institution shall have to obtain permission from the Central Bureau of Statistics.
(2) Any person or organization desiring to obtain permission for the purpose of collecting statistics pursuant to Sub-section (1) shall have to submit to the Central Bureau of Statistics details including the reason for the collection of statistics, the area in which the collection of statistics is to be made, the methodology for the collection of statistics and the programmes for carrying out such activities.
(2) If the request to collect statistics pursuant to Sub-section (1) appears to be reasonable, the Central Bureau of Statistics shall give its permission; and in so giving permission, the Bureau may specify in its permission the methodology to be adopted in the collection of statics and such other conditions as deemed necessary.

(1) Any  person or organization having obtained permission pursuant to Section 7A. to collect statistics shall, before making use of or publishing such statics, cause such statistics to be authenticated by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
(2) In cases where the Central Bureau of Statistics has to incur expenses in connection with the authentication of the statistics pursuant to Sub-section (1) above, the person or organization which seeks such  authenticity shall pay the cost to the Central Bureau of Statistics.
(3) No statistical information shall be given to any foreign national or institution or international institution without the permission of the Central Bureau of Statistics.

8. Restriction on publication of information and details : Any information or details relating to any person, family, firm or company, which have been supplied, obtained or prepared pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 or Section 5 or Section 6 or Section 7 or any part of such information or details, shall not be disclosed or published directly except to
the Director General or to any other officer of the Bureau without the written permission of the person or of his or her authorized representative supplying such information or details.
(2) For the purpose of institution of any suit under this Act, nothing mentioned in Sub-section (1) shall be deemed to bar the production of such information before any court.

(1) If any person having the duty to supply any information or details pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 or Section 5, commits any of the following offences, the person shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Two Hundred Rupees or of imprisonment for a term not exceeding Two months 5 or both punishments for each offence:
(a) 6 Deliberately withholding or refusing to supply such information or details within the prescribed time-limit;
or
(b) Deliberately giving or causing to give false information or details.
Provided that, if any offence punishable under this Sub-section is committed by any company or body corporate, except when it is proved that the offence was committed without their knowledge or that they had
done their utmost to prevent such an offence, the director, manager, secretary or any other officer or representative of such a company or body shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Three Hundred Rupees or of
imprisonment for a term not exceeding Three months or the both punishments.
(2) Any person who causes obstruction to the exercise of powers by the Director General or any other officer authorized by him or her under Section 6 to make entry into any house or land pursuant to Clause (a) of
the same Section, or deliberately refuses to produce any document or article required to be produced pursuant to Clause (b) of the same Section, or refuses to answer any queries or deliberately gives false answers to
queries made pursuant to Clause (c) of the same Section shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to One Hundred Rupees or of imprisonment for a term not exceeding One month or the both punishments.
(2a) 7 Any person or organization who otherwise collects statistics without obtaining prior permission in accordance with Section 7A. or who collects statistics in contravention of the methodology or terms and  conditions specified while giging permission or who makes use of any statistics or publisheds it without obtaining prior authentication pursuant to Section 7B. before using or publishing the same and any person who publishes the same shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Five Thousand Rupees for each such offence.
Provided that, if any offence punishable under this Sub-section is committed by any body corporate, the general manager or manager or the chief of the body concerned shall be liable to punishement for such an
offence except where such a manager or chief proves that the offence was committed without his or her knowledge.
(3) In cases where the Director General or any officer of the Bureau or any officer authorized under this Act commits any of the following offences, he or she shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Two Hundred Rupees or of imprisonment for a term not exceeding Two months or both punishments for each such offence:
(a) Publishing any information or details or any part thereof in contravention of Section 8; or
(b) Failing to carry out or refusing to carry out any order issued in pursuant of this Act or the Rules framed
under this Act, or failing to exercise due care or show promptness in the carrying out of such order; or
(c) Destroying statistical records negligently or deliberately or otherwise causing damage to such  records in any other manner, or forging or using in any other manner such records so as to cause wrong results
or using such records for his or her personal gains or unauthorized purpose.
(4) Any person who obtains information or details from any authorized officer or any officer of the Bureau in contravention of Section 8 shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Two Hundred Rupees or of
imprisonment for a term not exceeding Two months or both punishments.
Provided that, if the information so obtained has been published as well, he or she shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Five Hundred Rupees or of imprisonment for a term not exceeding Five months or both
punishments.
(5) Any person who induces the general public not to obey any order issued pursuant to this Act or not to supply information or details lawfully demanded by any authorized officer, or not to answer any questions put to
them by such an officer shall be liable to punishment of a fine of up to Five Hundred Rupees or of imprisonment for a term not exceeding Five months 8 or both punishments.

10A. Delegation of power : The Government of Nepal may, by a Notification published in the Nepal Gazette, so delegate the power vested in the Director General pursuant to Clause (b) of Sub-section (1) of Section 10 as to be
exercised by any officer.

11.The Government of Nepal to be plaintiff : The Government of Nepal shall be plaintiff in cases under this Act.

12. Question not to be raised in courts : No question may be raised in any court in relation to any order given in pursuance of the power conferred by this Act.

13. Power to frame Rules : The Government of Nepal may frame Rules in order to carry out the objectives of this Act.

14. Repeal : The Census Act, 2013 (1956) is, hereby, repealed.

(Source: Nepal Law Commission)

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