INDIA WELCOMES SEVEN-POINT ACCORD BETWEEN RULING PARTIES, OPPOSITION

INDIA WELCOMES SEVEN-POINT ACCORD
Kathmandu, 3 Nov.: India Wednesday welcomed a seven-point accord between ruling parties and two opposition parties to conclude the delayed peace process and constitution drafting.
“This agreement provides a firm basis for successfully concluding the remaining aspects of Nepal’s peace process,” Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
New Delhi brokered a 12-point agreement 22 November between then seven parliamentary parties and self-exiled Maoists in the Indian capita; culminating in the downfall of traditional Shah dynasty that unified modern Nepal with Nepal Army.
The agreement and other agreements his roadblocks delaying the completion of a peace process and constitution drafting to institutionalize a declared republic.
The twin processes have to be completed by 30 November as time is running out.
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CA SUB-COMMITTEE IN TAPEJUNG
Kathmandu, 3 Nov.: A sub-committee formed under the Constituent Assembly (CA), Committee on Women, Children and Social Welfare to undertake study on the problem of cast discrimination and its resolving measures has arrived Taplejung for onsite inspection, RSS reports from Lumjung.

The parliamentary panel headed by CA member Binod Pahadi held discussion at the District Administration Office about the status of caste discrimination in the district.

Representatives of district-based political parties and organisations working for the cause of Dalit rights and chiefs of the offices were present in the discussion.

Meanwhile, the panel on Wednesday held discussion with various stakeholders on caste discrimination at the office of Panchthar District Development Committee.
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RARE SNOWFALL IN MYAGDI
Kathmandu, 3 Nov.: The high mountainous area of Myagdi, which scarcely witnessed snow even during the coldest seasons in bygone years, has seen snowfall ahead of the season this year, RSS reports from Myagdi.

Mountains in Myagdi including Dhaulagiri, Gurja and Annapurna and surrounding area have been covered with snow, much earlier in time.

Prior to the fall, the snow-clad hilly areas were black, rocky and nude because of least snow fall in the past years.

The cold breeze has started blowing earlier in the summits of mountains like Mudi, Lulang, Gurja, Narchyang, Dana, Chimkhola and Kuinemangale and snowfall has also occurred prior to the season, said locals.
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MAAIN OPPOSITION NC SAYS GOVT. FORMATION NOT AN IMMEDIATE AFTER SEVEN-POINT AGREEMENT
Kathmandu, 3 Nov.: Nepali Congress Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel and General Secretary Krishna Sitaula today advised political parties not to sideline implementation of peace and constitution writing processes in favour of forming consensus government, as that would only waste time, The Himalayan Times reports.

Talking to reporters in separate instances, they said the peace agreement was possible because of continuous efforts, necessary flexibility on stances and careful decision on the part of Nepali Congress and courage shown by party leaders.

“Yesterday’s agreement proved that unity government is not needed for national consensus. Consensus government is not the priority of the time and it doesn’t require unity government to implement the peace deal although efforts to form national unity government is one of the points of the deal,” Paudel told reporters at the office of Ganesh Man Singh Academy.

Paudel said Congress cannot think of joining the government until categorisation of Maoist combatants concludes.

Unity government might be essential for holding fresh elections after promulgating a new constitution, but the parties should not hinder implementation of major issues by raising the power sharing issue as in the past, Paudel said.

“The struggle for power, mainly on the part of Unified CPN-Maoist, delayed the peace process for so long. So, we should not repeat the same mistake again,” he said.

Sitaula, a key negotiator in the peace deal said, “The seven-point deal is no other than firm and concrete commitment

to implementation of

past agreements.”

Admiring the role of Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Congress president Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and other leaders, he said, “The deal became possible due to the courage of leaders to rise above the stances and interest of the respective parties. Moreover, concern and pressure from all quarters helped to bring leaders together.”

Talking to reporters at Reporter’s Club, Koirala said, “There has been no tacit agreement beyond the seven-point accord.”

Both encouragement and pressure from all quarters are necessary for timely implementation of the peace deal, he said. “Implementation of the agreement should get completed within the stipulated time, November 23, so that no one can question the deal,” he said.

Sitaula expressed confidence that the peace deal would be implemented in time now.

He said protest from the Mohan Baidhya camp of UCPN-Maoist would not hinder or affect implementation of the agreement.

“We have not initiated discussion on power sharing issues. It will be discussed only after November 23, the deadline for completing the categorisation of Maoist combatants,” Sitaula said.
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JUDICIAL COUNCIL DISCUSSES FUTURE JUDGE APPPOINTMENT PROCEDURE

Kathmandu, 3 Nov.: The Judicial Council headed by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi began discussion today for whether or not to adopt an open competition system for the appointment of judges in district and appellate courts and selecting apex court justices by issuing a public notice.

“We began the discussion, but we are in the preliminary stage,” Regmi told this daily after today’s meeting. “We are hopeful for adopting a suitable system as soon as possible.” According to him, he is eager to introduce a suitable policy in the judiciary for making the appointment more competent and credible. “But it will take some time for the preparations to adopt the procedure.”

Suggesting open competition in lower courts judges’ appointment and issuing public notice for apex court justices’ selection, JC member Upendra Keshari Neupane had recently submitted a written proposal to the CJ as he had given him the authority to do the groundwork. Neupane had suggested two options for apex court justices selection — either issuing a public notice or getting recommendations from stakeholder institutions which is popularly known as the Australian Model — for making the appointments more credible.
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