Good morning!
Here’s a summary of important, ignored and interesting reports from Monday to kickstart your Tuesday.
Important
CIAA suggests reviewing election system to curb corruption
The anti-corruption constitutional body, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, has suggested that the government review and make necessary changes to the existing election system in order to curb corruption. In its recent annual report submitted to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Monday, the commission has pointed at the costly election system as a factor behind ever-increasing corruption and inflation.
Likewise, legal provisions should be introduced to make sure that all political parties, their candidates, independent candidates and all stakeholders engaged in the election process should maintain transparency in their expenses, the commission recommends.
Singer killed in car crash
Singer Nishan Bhattarai died after a car driven by him crashed at Tinkune of Kathmandu on Monday night. Bhattarai was active in the music industry for over three decades.
The singer was returning home from a restaurant at Durbarmarg last night when his car hit a roadside pole. He was seriously injured in the accident and was taken to the National Trauma Centre of Bir Hospital. However, the doctors attending to him declared him dead upon arrival, according to musician Milan Moktan.
A permanent resident of Dharan, Bhattarai is a younger brother of another popular singer Lochan Bhattarai.
Ignored
Bhat-Bhateni found to be evading tax with fake bills
One of the biggest department store chains of the country, Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket, evaded tax by issuing fake bills in its transactions, a division bench at the Supreme Court concluded on Monday. The bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana and Justice Prakash Kumar Dhungana upheld a previous decision of the Revenue Tribunal.
Earlier around nine years ago, the government had formed an investigation committee to probe suspicious activities of various business firms and it had found that as many as 518 companies including Bhat-Bhateni were evading taxes by issuing fake bills. Then, the government ordered the companies to pay the outstanding taxes, amounting to Rs 6.59 billion in total.
The companies, however, did not accept the order and filed a case against the government at the tribunal. The tribunal did not buy their argument, forcing the petitioners to move the apex court.
Lalitpur pastor held on rape charge
Police in Lalitpur have arrested a pastor of a local church in Kusunti, Lalitpur of Kathmandu on the charge of raping a woman. Bishwas Joshi alias Pastor Dhruba Babu, associated with the Aasha Bishwasi Church, was arrested after the woman filed a complaint claiming he raped her assuring that it would help her get rid of a disease she was suffering from.
Joshi, who allegedly raped the victim repeatedly over the past few months, had warned that the victim would lose the energy she received from the god if she told about the incidents to anyone.
NCP student union hopes landslide victory in FSU polls
The student union of the ruling Nepal Communist Party, the All Nepal National Fress Students Union (ANNFSU), has claimed that it will win around 95 per cent seats of the free student unions across various constituent and affiliated colleges of the Tribhuvan University. The university has planned to hold the polls on February 26.
Interesting
Govt to build ‘model elderly park’ in Kathmandu
The government is planning to establish a model park for elderly in Kathmandu. Communications Minister Gokul Baskota, who has been given a responsibility of the Ministry of Urban Development also, announced so while assuming office at the second ministry in Kathmandu on Monday.
The minister claimed that part, to be built on a bank of Dhobikhola, would have all basic facilities for the elderly population and the family members should take them to the park and take back home every day.
