Major Nepali and English newspapers published from Kathmandu on Sunday have prioritised increasing incidents of attacks on candidates and election-related activities in various parts of the country. Anti-election forces have been using improvised explosive devises to create a sense of terror among candidates. Just on Saturday, Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel was targeted in such an attack while nearly a dozen people sustained injuries in a blast in Rautahat district. All newspapers have carried reports about such incidents in the front page.
Important
Blasts targeting candidates on the rise across country
Rajdhani says at least 14 incidents of blasts and attacks on candidates have been reported from various parts of the district in past one week. Most the incidents target leaders and candidates of major parties including the Nepali Congress and the leftist alliance.
Meanwhile, the newspaper in another boxed story says the government and police have not been able to arrest and take action against the attackers though the Ministry of Home Affairs had identified cadres of Netra Bikram Chand and CK Raut as threats to the polls.
Kantipur says at least nine persons sustained injuries in a blast in Rautahat. For children among them are said to be critical. In another similar incident, three police personnel have been hurt.
Government says security upped
Despite increasing number of anti-poll activities and attacks on candidates, the government has maintained that it has tightened security for candidates and voters in the run-up to elections.
The Ministry of Home Affairs says on Saturday that police have already arrested over 100 people from across the country for their involvement in such incidents, The Kathmandu Post reports today. The government has also instructed security agencies to increase patrols and arrest people involved in anti-election activities.
Meanwhile, Republica says concerns over security of candidates have grown up with senior Nepali Congress leader Paudel targeted in the attack yesterday. On the other hand, the Election Commission has urged the government to ensure ‘foolproof’ security for candidates and voters to peacefully and successfully hold the upcoming elections.
Ignored
Only 6 per cent people under the ambit of taxation
The government says only 6 per cent people in the country have been brought under the ambit of taxation. According to a recent report of Inland Revenue Department, the number of total taxpayers in the country is 1 million and 668,607. Last year, the number had stood at 1 million and 623,231, according to Karobar anchor story.
Meanwhile, the government says the rate of expansion is really slow and it will carry a study to identify causes.
‘New’ district deprived of budget
One of two newly created districts of the country, Rukum East, has been deprived of budget to mobilise civil servants for elections, reports The Himalayan Times.
The report says the newly created District Administration Office was supposed to get a regular budget of Rs 30 billion a month ago, but has not received the amount yet. Due to the budget crunch, the Office has been buying goods and services on credit.
The report further informs that there are no banks in the new district; that is why the District Treasury and Controller’s Office has been unable to transfer funds to government offices.
Most of the offices in the district are operating on the ad hoc office, the report says.
Interesting
Construction of tunnel for Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will be over today
The construction of 8.4-kilometre tunnel of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project will be over today, informs Karobar in its lead story. While the 456-megawatt project is the biggest hydropower project launched with domestic investment, its tunnel is the longest ever, the report informs quoting its chief Bigyan Prasad Shrestha.
The report says overall construction of the project will be over by mid-July next year and power generation will begin. Preliminary estimates had projected the total cost at Rs 35 billion; but latest estimates say the project requires Rs 42 billion.
Supreme Court justices are required to do more works now
Around 22,000 cases are currently pending at the Supreme Court, reports Nepal Samacharpatra in its anchor news today, adding the court administration has increase working hours from Friday considering the burden.
Now, SC justices are required to report to office by 9:30 am and begin the hearing at 10. Likewise, they should stay at office till 5. On Fridays, the court will close at 4 pm.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court says the Chief Justice can assign justices to hear some cases besides regular office hours and on holidays too.
