UPDATE PROBE BODY TO INVESTIGATE MURDER OF FORMER LAWMAKER Kathmandu, 21 May: Government Tuesday condoled the murder of former independent lawmaker Sadrul Miya Haq in Saptari Tuesday and formed a three-member investigation team headed by AIG Dinkar SJB Rana to probe the crime. A report has to be submitted in one week. Haq was stabbed in the stomach while asleep at his petrol pump near his house 500 meters away. The weapon and sandles of suspected murdere3r has been recovered. The while district was tense Tuesday amid clashes between locals and police and traffic movement on the Mahendra highway was disrupted. Haq’s supporters demanded the presence of the home minister in the district before allowing the body to be lifted. Nnn SP CHIEF RAJENDRA MAHOTO STARTS DEATH FAST UPDATE Kathmandu, 21 May: Sadbhavana Party Chief Rajendra Mahoto started a death fast at Shanti Batika in the capital Tuesday following failure of talks with government pushing 10 demands. Home Minister Madhav Prasad Ghimere said talks failed on SP demand to declare immediate date for constituent assembly elections. Maoist Chairman Prachanda said Tuesday his party has an informal agreement with government to announce the date this week. nnnn UPDATE RRP, RJP UNITY CONVENTION ENDS Kathmandu, 21 May: A unity convention of RPP and RJP that elected founding chairman of RP Surya Bahadur Thapa the chief for one year ended Tuesday. The party has ended a system of collective leadership. Thapa said the [arty un9oted for nationalism and democracy. Former Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana said unity effort which he called the fourth force succeeded in three years. Leaders asked workers to go to village for an assembly election which will be held, they said. Nnnn GOVT. PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT KATHMANDU, TUNNEL Kathmandu, 21 May: Government gave a private company permit Tuesday to construct the Rs.34b Kathmandu, Hetauda tullel that will reduce driving distance by three hours and save fuel estimated at Rs.15b annually. Kush Kumar Joshi, a former FNCCI chairman, us chief of the company. The project will be completed in three years. Nnnn EC HANDS GOVT. ELECTION ORDINANCE Kathmandu, 21 May; Election Commission 9EC) has handed over to government a draft of election that has to be promulgated to ensure aan assembly a vote. The document will have to be presented by government to President Dr.Ram Baran Yadav for promulgation. The ordinance debars persons from contesting a vote as demanded by NC and UML but opposed by UCPN Maoist. nnnn SUSHIL KOIRALA RETURNS TO CAPITAL Kathmandu, 21 NC President Sushil Koirala returned to the capital TuEsday. He was away in Pokhara. nnnn