31 MAOIST FRONTS WITH ESTABLISHMENT Kathmandu, 26 June: Thirty-one Maoist ethnic, regional and down-trodden fronts Monday joined the UCPN (Maoist) after a group led by Mohan Baidhaya formed CPN Maoist. The support for the mother party came in a statement. Both groups are attempting to consolidate their positions following a split in the biggest party. Supporters of UCPN Maoist described calls by CPN Maoist for a roundtable conference to find an outlet to the current crisis an attempt to ‘attack on gains of the people’s war and related movemnts’. nnnn . JUDICIAL COMMISSION PROBING JUSTICT BAM’S MURDER REJECTS GOVT. OFFER OF OFFICE SPACE IN SINGHA DURBAR Kathmandu, 26 June: Ten days after a judicial commission was formed to probe Justice Rana Bahadur Bam’s murder, the commission led by former justice Prem Sharma sought suggestions from all three-tiers of the judiciary regarding the security of judges and courts in the country, The Himalayan Times reports. The commission sought suggestions from the Supreme Court, all appellate courts and district courts on the issue so as to recommend measures for the security for judges to the government. Declaring Justice Bam a martyr, the Cabinet had formed a judicial probe commission on June 15 to investigate the May 31 daylight shooting of Justice Bam. Apparently the police are yet to make public anything regarding the assassination. The government has given the commission two months to complete its investigation. “After setting up office, we began work today by demanding response from the courts,” Justice Sharma told The Himalayan Times. According to him, the commission will simultaneously probe the murder and find ways to improve security in the courts and for judges. The panel has staff from the Supreme Court, Office of the Attorney General and Police Headquarters to carry out its investigation. The panel set up its office on the premises of the Supreme Court, refusing the government offer to work from Singha Durbar. “We wanted to perform our task independently therefore we set up office on the premises of the apex court,” Sharma reasoned. According to him, the panel will also consult officials regarding police investigation and will analyse how to move forward. nnnn IRD ACTION AGAINST 288 FIRMS Kathmandu, 26 June: Inland Revenue Department (IRD) took legal action against 288 business firms that were avoiding, The Himalayan Times reports tax compliance in the last five months. “Out of nearly 1,000 taxpayers, who had to clear more than Rs 1 million tax the department completed the action against 288,” director general of the department Tanka Mani Sharma said, adding that the department has targeted those firms whose dues exceed Rs 1 million. IRD had asked them to clear their outstanding dues by June 15. Inland Revenue Offices across the country have been putting their effort to collect revenue dues from taxpayers, according to him. It had started its drive to collect revenue dues from the beginning of 2012, he said, adding that the tax administration has still to collect around Rs 22 billion from different taxpayers. IRD seized bank accounts, halted transaction and even decided to cancel export/import of those firms that had been avoiding their tax burden. He, however, said that the dues clearance drive could not get momentum since most of the cases are pending in various judicial bodies. Of the total dues, the cases worth Rs 10 billion have been under the different judicial bodies, he said, adding that the department can collect the dues of those firms only after the final verdict from the judicial bodies like courts or revenue tribunals. Sharma said that the Inland Revenue Department will collect around Rs 3 billion additional revenue compared to its target in the current fiscal year. “The department has a revenue target of Rs 95 billion,” he said. “But, it will mobilise some Rs 98 billion revenue by the end of current fiscal.” The department has already mobilised Rs 82 billion revenue, out of its annual target Rs 95 billion, he said, adding that in last month (mid-June to mid-July) it will rise since most of the firms will clear their last installment. Revenue mobilisation Finance Ministry — which has to mobilise Rs 30.81 billion revenue in a single month (mid-June to mid-July) to meet its target — is putting its last hour effort to meet revenue target, according to the ministry source. “The ministry will invite all concerned agencies responsible to mobilise revenue and direct them to work hard on meeting the revenue target,” he said, adding that the ministry, especially, put its effort to boost non-tax revenue mobilisation in the last hour. nnnn