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From the Kathmandu Press: Wednesday, April 10, 2019

The Supreme Court ordering the government to recover applicable capital gains tax of the Ncell buyout deal from Ncell and its Malaysian-based parent company Axiata within three months has been featured in all major newspapers along with news of General Secretary of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Bishnu Paudel being involved in the Lalita Niwas land scam case.

Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the cover pages of national broadsheets:

Important

SC gives govt three months to collect CGT from Ncell and Axiata

Kantipur, Naya Patrika, Karobar, Nepal Samacharpatra, Nagarik, Arthik Abhiyan, Rajdhani, Republica, The Himalayan Times and The Kathmandu Post report that the Supreme Court on Tuesday made public its ruling made on February 6. Through the ruling, the SC has ordered the government to recover applicable capital gains tax of the Ncell buyout deal from Ncell and its Malaysian-based parent company Axiata within three months.

The ruling states that Ncell and Axiata are responsible to pay the applicable CGT. The apex court directed the government to halt Ncell’s dividend distribution and equity transfer until the CGT issue is settled completely. Earlier, the Supreme Court had issued an order in the name of Ncell and Axiata putting an end to the years-long controversy over who should foot the tax bill following the sale of Ncell by Sweden-based TeliaSonera to Axiata.

Issuance of the full text of the previous verdict on the Ncell buyout deal by the apex court has now paved the way for the Large Taxpayers’ Office to collect capital gains tax dues from Ncell and Axiata. Earlier, LTO had informed that the Ncell buyout deal was subject to CGT of around Rs 61 billion, while Ncell and Axiata were liable to pay around Rs 66 billion in taxes if late fees were factored in.

Bishnu Prasad Nepal, Director General of Inland Revenue Department, said Ncell would be given up to 35 days to pay the CGT amount after it was determined by LTO. The apex court’s verdict has asked the government to collect the CGT on Ncell buyout deal while taking into consideration the previous deposits made by Ncell towards CGT and other fines.

This means that Ncell and Axiata will not have to pay the entire CGT, as Ncell has already paid tax instalments totalling almost Rs 21 billion.

NCP Gen Secy Paudel involved in Lalita Niwas scam

Nagarik and Republica report that General Secretary of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Bishnu Paudel is among those owning the controversial land at Lalita Niwas. Lalita Niwas was duly acquired by the government and controversy arose after land on the premises was illegally transferred to the names of private individuals.

NCP General Secretary Paudel is found to have purchased 8 aana of land at Lalita Niwas through a businessman and the so-called land mafia, according to investigation officials. The land purchased by Paudel is in the name of his son, Nabin.

Internal democracy within ruling and opposition parties vanishing

L-R: Sher Bahadur Deuba and KP Sharma Oli

The Kathmandu Post and Annapurna Post report that Nepal Communist Party leaders say their chairmen rarely listen to anyone while Nepali Congress lawmakers say the party president functions in a unilateral style.

NCP lawmakers say that Parliamentary Party meetings or other organisational meetings have now become a platform for the party leadership to announce their decisions. Either Oli or party’s another co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal make their statements, rarely allowing others to air their views.

But this problem is not limited only to the ruling Nepal Communist Party.

Leaders of the main opposition Nepali Congress, which calls itself the most democratic party in the country, say functioning of the party President Sher Bahadur Deuba, is far from democratic practices. Senior Congress leaders have in recent days even boycotted the party meetings, expressing reservation about Deuba’s “unilateral style of functioning”.

Both party leaders and cadres have said that top leadership keeps them in the dark mostly.

Ignored

Patients in Bir Hospital wait for the doctors’ protest to end.

No dialogue between govt and protesting doctors

Kantipur reports that government and protesting doctors have yet to reach an agreement. The doctors for the past five days have stopped all services apart from emergency services. Government Doctors’ Association of Nepal has said that the government has made no effort to stop its protest. GODAN says that it is ready to hold talks with the government.

The doctors are protesting against the Civil Servants Adjustment Bill that proposes bringing them under the ambit of state governments. The protesting doctors have said that the government’s adjustment plan will hinder their career growth.

Tatopani checkpoint to come into operation from June

File: Tatopani border between Nepal and Tibet

Gorkhapatra reports that Tatopani checkpoint will come into operation from June. The border checkpoint, which is important from the point of Nepal-China trade, had been closed following the Gorkha earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, 2015.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth following his field visit to the under-construction of the checkpoint on Tuesday said that the checkpoint would resume operation from June 1.

The reconstruction of Araniko Highway is in full swing to resume the checkpoint which is strategically important for the nation’s economy.

Interesting

Nepal, China to pen transit trade pact protocol during president’s Beijing visit

The Himalayan Times reports that Nepal and China are preparing to formally sign the protocol of the Nepal-China Transit Transport Agreement during President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s upcoming visit to the northern neighbour to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tiger poacher operating in Nepal and India arrested

The Kathmandu Post reports that a buffer division team at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, India, on Sunday, arrested Fariyad alias Lamboo, the notorious kingpin of a tiger poaching gang that operates in Nepal and India.

According to the reserve, the division following a tip-off about his movements had ambushed Fariyad and his aide Rizwan alias Bengali, who were on their way to Nepal. While the division managed to nab Fariyad, search continues for Rizwan who managed to escape the ambush. The reserve said Fariyad was carrying five tiger bones as samples for Nepali buyers. He has been charged with a total of 11 cases—six in India and five in Nepal—for tiger hunting and wildlife poaching.

Jugal Himal summited for the first time

Karobar and Republica report that three mountaineers have climbed the 6,151 metre Gyalchen peak of Jugal mountain range on Tuesday. This is the first summit by any person in the virgin ‘Jugal Himal’.

Maya Gurung, Milan Lama and Sharmila Thapa, successfully climbed the peak. Other four guides and support staff led by Tulasi Gurung also climbed the peak together with the team. The mountaineers had started their expedition on March 29. They had stopped at the high camp for the last four days due to rain, heavy snowfall, and a short supply of foods. They were supplied sufficient food by a helicopter on Monday. Then, the weather condition improved and they resumed their expedition to the summit.

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