After the government’s decision to hold elections to the Provincial Assembly and federal House of Representatives in two phases, it seems that the entire nation is heading towards the polls. Major English and Nepali newspapers published from Kathmandu on Friday have given prominence to issues related to the elections over others.
Important
Election Commission decides districts for two rounds of polls
Though the government on Wednesday decided to hold elections in the two phases, it had not fixed which districts will hold elections in which phase. As delegated the authority to make the decision for its convenience, the Election Commission on Thursday published the list of districts which will hold the polls in different phases and almost all newspapers have given a priority to the decision.
Naya Patrika lead story reports that the Commission decided to hold polls in the first phase on November 26 in 32 districts of mountainous and high hill regions.
Likewise, remaining 45 districts of lower hills and plans will hold the elections in the second phase on December 7. Accordingly, the entire Province 2 will hold elections in the second phase, but all other six provinces have been divided between two phases, according to Kantipur.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Thursday issued a seven-point directive to the government, reminding it that the code of conduct has already come into effect, according to The Himalayan Times front page story.
Nepali Congress lawmakers drop demand to let corrupts contest polls
Bill related to elections to the Provincial Assembly and the federal House of Representatives had long been stuck at State Affairs Committee in Parliament as some lawmakers, mainly those associated with the Nepali Congress, filed amendment proposals seeking to remove the provision barring corruption convicts from contesting the polls. However, the lawmakers have finally made up the mind to drop the amendment proposal and let the bills get passed after their attempt drew criticisms from members of the public, according to Nepal Samacharpatra lead story.
The report quotes NC lawmaker Ananda Prasad Dhungana as saying the the amendment proposal was not party’s official line and most lawmakers would withdraw their proposals.
Republica lead story says as many as 18 proposals had been filed on behalf of the largest party in the House. The report quotes SAC Chairman Dil Bahadur Gharti, who belongs to the same party, that the Committee is likely to pass the bills today.
Ignored
New districts lack administrative setup
After the constitution divided two districts—Nawalparasi and Rukum—into two different provinces each in the federal setup, the government recently decided to consider them as separate districts and consider that there are total 77 districts in the country. However, the newly established districts do not have any administrative setup yet and bureaucrats as well as members of the public are confused about it, according to the lead story in The Himalayan Times.
The constitution has divided Nawalparasi into two districts as Nawalparasi-Bardaghat-Susta-east and Nawalparasi-Bardaghat-Susta-west. Likewise, the Rukum district has been divided into Eastern Rukum and Western Rukum. But still, district offices including the district administration offices located in the western part of Nawalparasi and Rukum districts are providing services to the residences of eastern parts as well. Further major officials of the district are in the dark about new entities.
Meanwhile, spokesperson at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Rudra Singh Tamang, has told the [paper that the creation of new districts was at the nascent stage and concerned ministries would take appropriate decisions to set up administrative bodies.
Diplomatic officials yet to pay Rs 220 million tax
Nepali government officials deployed at the country’s diplomatic missions abroad have not paid the tax applicable to their allowance for last 10 years, according to the anchor story in Nagarik.
The issue came to the light after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently wrote to all diplomatic missions to make their staff pay the tax regularly since the beginning of this fiscal year. The Ministry, however, has maintained silence over the tax pending for last 10 years.
“If the law is implemented, they have to pay the pending tax as well,” a source at the Ministry has been quoted in the report, “But, we are confident that the government will exempt it.”
The staff have to pay 10 to 30 per cent of the allowance they receive for working abroad as the tax.
Interesting
Nepali Army opens way for women to become CoAS
Though it has been many years since the Nepali Army began recruiting women as its staff, the national military organisation just recently clarified its provisions that even women staff can get elevated to the highest rank that is Chief of Army Staff, reports Rajdhani anchor story.
The Nepali Army recently made a decision that women officials can also take the entrance examinations for the Military Command and Staff College training, the report says.
Lieutenant Colonel Indra Kumar Ranabhat tells the paper, “Inclusiveness and women’s participation have been given a high priority in the Army. Now, they can take the top leadership position as men.”
Meanwhile, the Nepali Army recently established a company including women only, according to the report. Currently, there are around 4,800 women staff in the Army.
