The country is gradually moving towards resolving various political issues one after another after President Bidya Devi Bhandari issued the National Assembly Ordinance last week. Major Nepali and English newspapers published from Kathmandu on Wednesday have highlighted political issues including those related to preparations for the National Assembly elections and the purported unification between CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre. The reports also inform that the government is all set to announce temporary provincial capitals and appoint province chiefs so as to facilitate meetings of newly elected provincial assemblies.
Important
National Assembly polls likely on Feb 8
Almost all newspapers published from Kathmandu today have reported that the government and the Election Commission have agreed to hold elections for the upper House (National Assembly) on February 8. The understanding was made during a meeting between Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav yesterday.
During the meeting, Yadav had proposed the date considering preparations the Commission would have to carry out before the polls, according to Kantipur. In response, Deuba said he would table the Commission’s proposal at the Cabinet meeting seeking approval, reports Naya Patrika. Deuba said the next Cabinet meeting would announce the date.
Arrest warrant against Silwal
Annapurna Post says the Metropolitan Police Range in Kathmandu has sent a letter to its counterpart in Lalitpur district to arrest former DIG Nawaraj Silwal, who has now been elected a House of Representatives member from Lalitpur-1, to investigate into charges that he forged documents related to his performance appraisal while working for the national police organisation last year.
Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Rabindra Dhanuk tells the paper that the arrest warrant follows a recent order by the Supreme Court, urging the national police organisation to probe reported forgery.
Meanwhile, Naya Patrika informs that Silwal is currently abroad. On Sunday, he had left for Malaysia to attend a scheduled event. His schedule for return, however, is immediately unknown.
The newspaper also says Silwal will not lose his position as the lawmaker even after police arrest him. His membership in Parliament, however, will be suspended if police file a case against him. Quoting constitutional expert Bhimarjun Acharya, the report says Silwal will regain the position if the court acquits him.
PM seeks consensus for province chiefs
In a bid to forge national political consensus to appoint province chiefs, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has called a meeting of five national parties for Thursday, reports The Kathmandu Post.
Naya Patrika lead story for the day says the Prime Minister’s initiative follows a suggestion from his party’s top leaders that national parties must be consulted to make the appointments. Deuba’s meeting with CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was also a result of that suggestion, according to the report. Gorkhapatra informs that the two leaders discussed contemporary political issues including National Assembly poll date, appointment of province chiefs and temporary provincial capitals.
Meanwhile, The Himalayan Times claims Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal is playing the role of a mediator in a bid to bridge the rift among political parties on key issues.
Maoist Centre claims chairmanship of unified party
CPN-Maoist Centre has demanded that it be given the post of chairperson of the unified party to be formed after its proposed merger with the CPN-UML as the UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli is most likely to be made the prime minister, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Most leaders who spoke during the party’s headquarters meeting yesterday asked the party leadership to secure a respectable share in the new party and the new government, the report adds.
The meeting made a decision that the positions of party chair and PM should not be taken by a single side, reports Rajdhani, adding, the Maoist leaders also decided to conclude the unification process as soon as possible.
Ignored
Two Kathmandu hospitals face fraud charge
Police in Kathmandu have filed fraud cases against two ‘big’ hospitals of the city, accusing them of overcharging patients for health services, reports Annapurna Post in its lead story for the day. The Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu filed cases against Bansbari-based Neuro Hospital and Basundhara-based Ishan Children and Women’s Hospital, the report informs quoting SSp Rabindra Dhanuk.
Earlier, on Monday, the Department of Supplies had written to police to file cases against four hospitals. Dhanuk says Dhapasi-based Grande International Hospital and Gwarko-based B&B Hospital will also face the same case soon.
Nepal-India EPG meeting next week
The Eminent Persons’ Group on Nepal-India Relations, a bilateral body of intellectuals formed to recommend amendments to various treaties and agreements signed between two countries, is holding its sixth meeting in New Delhi next week, according to Rajdhani.
The meeting has been scheduled for January 10 and 11, the report says adding the Nepali side is planning to raise the issues about 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty and border disputes in Kalapani and Susta.
Minister’s fresh bid to remove Gautam from CAAN
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Dev is trying to remove the Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Sanjiv Gautam, reports Nagarik in its anchor story for the day.
Earlier in October, Dev had made the decision to sack Gautam. However, the Election Commissioner had barred him from implementing the decision owing to the election code of conduct. Now, as the elections are over and preparations are underway to form the government, Dev has tabled the proposal at the Cabinet once again, according to the report.
The report says Dev wants to replace Gautam with Suresh Acharya, a joint-secretary at the Ministry.
Interesting
Around 850,000 foreigners visited Nepal in 2017
Abhiyan lead story for the day reports that around 850,000 foreign tourists visited Nepal in 2017, concluding the year was happy for the country’s tourism industry. The report also informs that the number of European tourists visiting Nepal increased by 40 per cent.
The number of tourists visiting Nepal last year is the highest among the statistics of last five years, the report informs attributing to the information recorded by Nepal Tourism Board.
