Major English and Nepali newspapers published from Kathmandu on Sunday have prioritised a host of issues. Most of them are related to preparations of the government, Election Commission and political parties for the third phase of local level elections in Province 2 scheduled for September 18. Other contemporary political issues have also received significant attention.
Important
TU ‘puts on hold’ affiliation to controversial medical college
After criticism from various walks of life, the Tribhuvan University Executive Council’s emergency meeting on Saturday decided to put the affiliation granted to the Kathmandu National Medical College on hold. The decision says a probe committee has been formed to investigate further into the college’s status and the affiliation will not be provided till the committee submits the report.
The committee has been given seven days to submit the report, says the lead story in Annapurna Post.
Kantipur lead story says TU Vice-Chancellor Tirtha Raj Khaniya had called the meeting after Prime Minister, who is also the Chancellor of University, warned that he would sack him if the controversial decision was not taken back. Then, Education Minister Gopal Man Shrestha had directed the University to review the affiliation decision on the basis of existing laws and standard criteria.
Likewise, owing to the PM’s directive, Health Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel also decided to close down the teaching hospital operated by the College, according to Nagarik.
September 18 elections: Preparations over; three-phase security plan in the place
As the date for local level elections in Province 2 comes closer, stakeholders including the government and political parties have expedited preparations and their activities have received considerable coverage in the Kathmandu press today.
The Election Commission says all preparations for the voting have been over and the Commission now has to deploy its staff at voting centres to conduct the voting, Kantipur anchor story says. It informs that the election preparations get momentum after the candidates file their nominations on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Rajdhani informs that police have launched special security checks in the Nepal-India border area in the run-up to elections. Likewise, Nepal Police prepared special security plans for the time before, during and after the elections. Security of political leaders and candidates during electioneering and elections has been the priority, according to the report.
The Kathmandu Post lead report says the government and the Election Commission are at odds about implementation of the code of conduct.
Ignored
Right to recall, NOTA unlikely in new election bills
Considering voices of the public, the government proposed to include right to recall and right to reject (right to choose ‘none of the above’ in the ballots) in bills prepared for elections of the House of Representatives. However, the State Affairs Committee in Parliament is very unlikely to endorse the new provisions as it is scheduled to endorse the bill on Monday, according to the lead story in The Himalayan Times.
Most members of the Committee associated with Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are against the provisions, the report quotes an NC lawmaker Annda Prasad Dhungana as saying, “Time has not come yet to ensure the right to recall and none of the above option column.”
“Even developed countries of Europe and America, which have incorporated the right to recall, are facing problems. We may think of introducing this provision in our law after two or three general elections, but not now.”
Government distributes Rs 2 lakh to each minister residing outside quarters
After the ministers’ residence in Pulchok of Lalitpur has been insufficient for all members of the jumbo Cabinet, the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government has distributed Rs 200,000 each to ministers who could not be accommodated in the government facility, reports Annapurna Post.
Newly appointed 23 state ministers and eight ministers have been given the money and the government spent Rs 6.2 million in total to set up their residence, the report says, adding each of them will be entitled with Rs 40,000 as monthly rent later. Further, the government itself will pay bills of their electricity, drinking water and telephone.
Meanwhile, Under-Secretary Ram Krishna Panthi who was assigned to manage the residences for the ministers says all the budget allocated for the ministers has been spent now and another sum of money has been demanded from the Ministry of Finance.
Interesting
Kathmandu Metropolitan City carrying out checkup on Dashain goats
Like the last year, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is planning to conduct a health checkup on goats brought to Kathmandu for the Dashain festival, says the anchor story in Nepal Samacharpatra. The metropolis says it will mark healthy goats with a green paint on its horn and unhealthy ones with red.
The KMC has urged members of the public to slaughter healthy goats only for the meat.
“We are preparing to carry out a checkup on the goats before Dashain, KMC Social Welfare Division chief Badri Kumar Khadka has been quoted in the report, he says four teams will be set up to look after four areas around Kalanki, Koteshwor, Bagbazaar and Bijulibazaar.
Thousands of goats are brought to Kathmandu for the greatest festival of Nepalis every year.
