The Nepalese Army and the Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda-led Government on Wednesday appeared to be heading towards a confrontation as the Army headquarters has refused to abide by a Government order to stop filling up vacant posts. The process of recruitment had begun only after the Government had given a go-ahead.

A senior official in the Defence Ministry confirmed that Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal, who is also a Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (CPN-M), had issued an instruction to the Army headquarters to stop the recruitment, but the latter promptly responded by saying that "it cannot stop the process".

The instruction from Badal follows a letter to the Government by United Mission to Nepal (UNMIN) chief Ian Martin on Tuesday that the recruitment in the Army violated peace agreement. The Army has expressed reservations over criticisms by the Maoists and UNMIN against what it calls a "legitimate move to fill the vacant positions" within its organisation.

According to Army spokesperson Ramnindra Chhetri, about 2,000 vacant posts are being filled up after getting due permission from the Government.

The Army's stand assumes political significance after certain sections of the business community and political parties are reported to have quietly met the Army Chief and asked him to "intervene" in the light of systematic attacks by the Maoists on the freedom of the press and independence of judiciary in the country.

Army Chief R Katawal refused to speak on the tussle between him and the Defence Minister but asserted that the ongoing recruitment for the "lower ranks" was not in violation of the peace agreement.