11 PARTIES TO OPPOSE EARLY BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT

11 PARTIES AGAINST GOVT. PLAN TO ANNOUNCE BUDGET IN MAY UPDATE

Kathmandu, 28 Apri1: Eleven parties, including main opposition NC, Thursday opposed UML/Maoist plan to announce a budget for 2011/12 fiscal year one month ahead of normal time.
NC President Sushil Koirala presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and a separate memorandum by 11 parties was submitted to Speaker Subash Nemwang Thursday.
The coalition led by NC has now swelled from nine to 11 but it still doesn’t have a majority in parliament.
Eleven parties charged government for sidelining peace and constitution drafting to present the budget 23 May amid threats to oppose it and disrupt parliamentary proceedings..
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KHIL RAJ REGMI APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Khil Raj Regmi’s appointment as chief justice was confirmed unanimously by a parliament committee Thursday.
He’ll succeed Ram Prasad Shrestha who is being superannuated.
Regmi will hold office for three years.
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MAOIST CHAIRMAN PRACHANDA RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS RAISED AT CENTRAL COMMITTEE UPDATE

Kathmandu, 28 April: Maoist Chairman Prachanda Thursday responded to points raised by standing committee, politburo and central committee members who presented their views on the chief’s political proposal to temporarily suspend people’s war for peace and constitution drafting.
All central committee members completed presenting their views Thursday.
Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai will respond to points raised in the extended meeting Friday morning, Spoksman Dinanath Sharma said.
‘There will be no voting and there’s no alternative to unity and rebellion,” Sharma said Thursday.
Baidya presented a separate political report charging Prachanda for surrendering.
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TEA PLUCKERS END STRIKE

Kathmandu, 28April; A 11-day strike by tea pluckers in east Nepal ended Thursday after intervention of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal who hails from Ilam, a tea producing hill district.
Khanal negotiated an end to the strike getting pluckers and team processors together in the capital.
Management of processing plants agreed to consider demands for social welfare schemes for pluckers.
The strike caused losses estimated at one billion rupees.
Workers demanded they be treated like industrial workers.
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