Nepal, Oct. 30 -- In May, the Balendra Shah government emptied 1,594 public positions overnight, through one sweeping ordinance. Classrooms, clinics and offices felt the gap, and the country held its breath to see who would sit down next. The question that emerged then was: What would guarantee that the new officials would not simply be political appointees close to the ruling party? It was a fair question then, and it is a fair one still.

Six months on, we know some of the answers, and they are troubling. A government that sweeps a house this loudly must lay the table with care. Too many of its choices were made before anyone asked the hard question: Was every candidate checked before the cabinet recommended them?

Take Lumbini. On Octo...