STUDENTS PROTST HIKE IN PRICE OF LPG Kathmandu, 14 Feb.: Eleven student unions disrupted movement of traffic in front of campuses for two hours Thursday morning protesting Rs, 630 hike in price of LPG. Proteests continue despite government decision to rescind the hime as student leaders say government can’t be trusted. nnnn BIG THREE, MADESH MORCHA MEET Kathmandu, 14 Feb.: The Big Three and Samyukta Madeshi Morcha in government are discussing formation of an election government Thursday morning despite deep differences over its leadership by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi who has keep silent on the proposal. Maoists floated the controversial proposal after their just concluded general convention in Hetauda. Opposition NC central committee Wednesday authorized top three leaders President Sushil Koirala, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel to negotiate an end of a prolonged deadlock. nnnn . NEPAL ARMY ACQUIRING TWO MORE RUSSIAN M-17 HELICOPTERS Kathmandu, 14 Feb.: The government has given a green signal to the Nepal Army ’s proposal to purchase two Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters to strengthen its air mobility, Prthvi Man Shrestha, Phanindra Dahal write in The Kathmandu Post.. The Ministry of Finance has agreed to release the budget for the purchase as per a proposal forwarded to the Cabinet by the Army. The proposal calls for the purchase of two twin turbine transport helicopters, which have the capacity to act as a gunship, at a cost of $30 million (Rs 2.58 billion). If implemented, this will be the largest purchase of military logistics since the Maoists joined mainstream politics in 2006. “We have in principle approved the request for the purchase of the helicopters. The Cabinet will now formalise the decision,” said Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun. The Finance Ministry has pledged to release the fund through next year’s budget and make the payment in two installments. Government sources told the Post that they started looking at the Army’s request positively once the latter told them that the country was facing a shortfall of aircraft to conduct rescue and relief operations and VVIP flights. The Army is currently executing VVIP flights through its Super Puma helicopter. Its Sky Truck, Bell and one Mi-17 aircraft are also operational.Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Gen Gaurav SJB Rana had forwarded the proposal within the six months of him assuming the post of the army chief. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai himself oversees the defence ministry portfolio. The previous army leadership had demanded that the government provide Rs 800 million for the repair of its grounded aircraft and allocate money for the purchase of five aircraft, including an Mi-17, in 2009. The then Madhav Kumar Nepal government had turned down the request, citing lack of funds. Recent governments have also tried to bail out Rs 400 million doled out as advance payment for the purchase of two MA-60 aircraft to a Chinese company during the reign of former king Gyanendra. The purchase, worth a total of Rs. 3.3 billion, was cancelled by the Girija Prasad Koirala government in July 2006. A source at the Army’s Air Service General Directorate confirmed that a request for the purchase of two Mi-17 helicopters had been dispatched to the Ministry of Defence ‘recently.’ “Many of our aircraft are grounded and, therefore, new ones are needed to strengthen our air mobility,” said the officer. Of the 23 aircraft owned by the Nepal Army , half of them are grounded and awaiting maintenance. Of its four Mi-17 helicopters, only one is currently in operation. Two Mi-17 helicopters were provided to the Army by the United Kingdom during the Maoist insurgency in 2003. The Army has been using the Mi-17 for cargo delivery and rescue missions, apart from combat troop support. Nnnn LAWYERS CONSIDER GH AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE WITH RIDERS Kathmandu, 14 Feb.:As parties continue to lock horns over the appointment of sitting Chief Justice (CJ) Khil Raj Regmi as the head of government to hold elections in May, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai held legal consultations towards that end on Wednesday, The Kathmandu Post writes.. While some parties have argued in favour of giving the sitting head of the judiciary executive authority to conduct polls, others have stood against it. Talking to the Post after his meeting with the PM, advocate Borno Bahadur Karki argued that since parties do not agree on each other’s leadership and want to go for a neutral candidate, the sitting CJ would be the most appropriate candidate for his accountability can always be ensured as he remains answerable. Karki maintained that the same is not true for former CJs. However, Karki was quick to clarify that as per the existing constitutional provisions, the incumbent government cannot be replaced. Advocate Surendra Mahato argued that the CJ could be given the responsibility for a limited time. “Article 106 states that a justice can be deputed for issues of national importance,” Mahato told the Post. “Elections are a national mission and the purpose of having the chief justice head the government will ensure impartiality in the polls.” Countering the argument that the CJ’s appointment could negatively influence the judiciary, Mahato cited examples where the Supreme Court has overturned decisions of the Judicial Council, which is headed by the CJ.Constitutional lawyer Purnaman Shakya was in favour of appointing the sitting CJ to lead an election government, but said that it would require the removal of constitutional difficulties. “This demands political consensus,” he said. As per Article 106 (1) of the Interim Constitution, a sitting CJ or a justice cannot perform any responsibility other than that of a judge. Shakya maintained that the proviso in Article 106 doesn’t allow for executive powers to be shifted to the CJ. However, advocate Luv Mainali argued that as per the constitution, the incumbent government could ask the sitting CJ to head a committee, not the government, to oversee polls. “But the executive authority cannot be transferred,” he told the Post. nnnn