GIRL SUFFERS FIRST DEGREE BURNS AGTER SUITOR SETS HER ALIGHT FOR SPURNING MARRIAGE PROPOSAL Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: A sixteen-year-old girl suffered first degree burns Feiday in Bardiya after she was burnt for refusing to marry. Attempts were made to airlift Siwa Hasim, 16, of Gulariya-8 to the capital dor treatment. Hasim refused marriage proposals of Babu Khan ,23, a mechanic at a motorcycle garage. Khan poured kerosene over her Siwa’s head and set her alight. Khan has been arrested. nnnn. PM SAYS PARTIES HAVE NO OPTION BUT TO HOLD ELECTIONS Kathmandu, 8 Dec.:Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has said that the political parties had no option but to hold election within May next year, RSS reports from Nepalgunj.. Speaking at a press meet organised by the Revolutionary Journalists' Association, Banke Chapter, here on Friday, PM Bhattarai warned, "If election is not held by May, chances of losing republic can grow alarmingly." The government was effortful to clear constitutional and legal hurdles to elections, he claimed, adding that the ball is in the parties' court for national consensus. Government is not obstructing what the parties decide, he argued. Similarly, the PM said technical issues of the election should be addressed before the third week of this month and if election is not possible, all parties should decide for a political outlet. According to him, political outlet was not impossible if the parties became flexible, and responsible towards people. Responding to a query, he said not only Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala but also others could be potential candidate for the prime minister. He argued that it was not his government that fomented corruption but was working to reduce it. nnnn