Fifth round elections for prime minister to be postponed

Kathmandu, 18 Aug.: Three big parties have agreed to reschedule Wednesday’s fifth round of elections for prime minister by another four days at Maoist request.
Parliament’s business advisory committee with take a final decision later in the day.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal briefed President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on the stalled election for the government chief.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda and NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel are the two candidates.
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Request of terminate membership of Maoist lawmaker

Kathmandu, 18 Aug.: TMLP Tuesday asked Speaker Subash Nemwang to terminate the membership of Maoist lawmaker Ram Kumar Sharna through a memorandum.
Sharma defected to the Maoists one year ago from TMLP.
Sharma has come into prominence claiming a senior Indian diplomat threatened over telephone not to vote for Prachanda in the protected election for prime minister.
Maoists have formally lodged a complaint to the Indian embassy protesting the threat.
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10 campus chiefs relinquish office
Kathmandu, 18 Aug.:Following row between the Tribuwan University (TU) and student unions over the issue of fee hike took a twist on Tuesday after 10 heads of TU’s constituent campuses in the Valley resigned. The fee dispute at the Bachelor level remains unresolved despite a Supreme Court (SC) ruling upholding the hike, The Kathmandu Post reports.

The chiefs submitted their resignation to the Vice Chancellor (VC) of TU saying that differences between TU and student unions over the fee hike has incapacitated them.

“Though the Supreme Court has affirmed the fee increase, student unions have interpreted the decision according to their convenience,” Gopal Chandra Pokhrel, campus chief of Ratna Rajya (RR) Campus, told the Post. “Mistreatment, padlocking of and picketing on the campus has seriously affected the working environment, which has compelled us to quit.”

The SC had on June 2 ordered the TU not to implement the increased fees in the case of students who were admitted within December 4, 2009.

“The verdict means that Bachelor level second year students also have to pay the hiked fee,” said Madhav Sharma, the TU Vice-Chancellor (VC). However, student leaders say the TU had the academic calendar dragged on this year until December, instead of ending in September. “Students must not be made to pay for TU’s incompetence,” Ram Kumari Jhankri, President of All Nepal National Free Students Union, said.

Those who resigned include Gopal Chandra Pokhrel of RR, Kamal Deep Dhakal from Shankar Dev Campus, Netra Prasad Dhital from Mahendra Ratna, Diwar Pokhrel from Nepal Commerce and Narayan Khadka from Amrit Science.

Eren Shrestha of Padma Kanya, Gita Malla of Public Youth Campus, Rajya Laxmi Khadka of Saraswati Multiple Campus, Shankar Upadhaya of Bhaktapur Campus and Jagat Krishna Pokhrel of Sanothimi Campus too resigned. Saying that the resignation will not be approved, VC Sharma urged the chiefs to reconsider their decision. The chiefs said they will not work until the issue is resolved.

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