FINAL DAY FOR VOTER REGISTATION Kathmandu, 18 June: Election commission said Tuesday the last date for voter registration is 13 july. Biometric voting cards will be issued to persons who have reached 18 years of age by that date. Nnnn LANDSLIDES CLAIM SEVEN LIVES IN FAR-WEST Kathmandu, 18 June: As many as seven person were killed, and three others got injured after they were buried in a landslide caused by incessant rain at two various parts of the far-western region of the country on Monday night, Shivraj Khatri/ Rajendra Bhatta write in the Himalayan Times from Kanchanpur/Achham. Five member of a same family were killed in Siddheswor-9, Baitadi when landslide entered the house of Ram Singh Airy. The identity of ones who died in Baitadi landslide is yet to be ascertained, according to District Police Office, Baitadi In another incident in Achham, two people died, and three got injured when landslide triggered by the incessant rainfall for four days hit the house of Min Bahadur Bogati at Kuntiwandali-3 of Achham. In the havoc, Min Bandur's wife—Anisha Bogati, daughter—Rabina Bogati (4) died on the spot. Likewise, Min Bahadur along with his two sons got injured in the incident, according to District Police Office, Achham. The injured are receiving treatment at District Hospital, according to Inspector Surya Thapa, District Police Office, Achham. Nnnn ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE SHARMA DOUBTS IF NEW JUDGES AWARE OF CODE OF CONDUCT Kathmandu, 18 June: Some of the newly appointed appeal judges were under fire today for their alleged meeting with CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and leader Astalaxmi Shakya immediately after they were administered oath of office and secrecy yesterday. Acting Chief Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma today wondered whether the (newly appointed) judges were aware of the code of conduct they need to abide by. “This has happened due to the lack of your knowledge about the code of conduct,” said Sharma. “We feel the urgent need to educate (the judges) about the code of conduct.” While addressing a training programme for newly appointed judges, organised by the Judicial Council, Nepal Bar Association President Hari Krishna Karki raised the issue of some of the appeal judges meeting UML Chairman Khanal yesterday, forcing Acting CJ Sharma to respond. All newly appointed judges were present at the programme. “It is not easy to be a judge; people will question you even if you meet the same people you had been meeting regularly before assuming this post,” Sharma added. “This is a blunder you have committed.” After taking the oath of office at the Judicial Council, judges Ramesh Bhandari, Hari Bhandari, Shreeman Gautam, Yamuna Bhattarai, Rajeshwor Tiwari, Jagannath Mahato, Ramesh Thapa, Keshav Joshi, Manoj Sharma and Nilam Paudel had met Khanal and Shakya. According to media reports, UML Chairman Khanal and leader Shakya had reminded the visiting judges ‘not to forget party interest while discharging their duties’. “You must understand the sensitivity of the nature of the posts you are holding now,” Sharma told the judges. Ram Kumar Prasad Shah, seniormost justice of the Supreme Court and a member of JC, said, “I expect that we do not come across such news in future. Now you are judges and you have to abide by the prescribed code of conduct.” He said JC members were extremely upset at what some judges did yesterday. Law Minister Hari Prasad Neupane said that judges should never get into controversy for the posts they hold require honesty, integrity and impartiality. ‘Meeting never happened’ Judges Shreeman Gautam and Manoj Sharma, who were said to be among the 10 judges meeting CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, denied on Monday that they had called on the UML leader. Surya Thapa, Secretary of UML’s Publicity Department, who also served as press adviser to Khanal when he was the prime minister, also claimed that the so-called meeting between the party chairman and newly appointed judges never took place as reported by a section of the media. “It is a different thing if some of them met the party chairman as old acquaintances,” said Thapa. — HNS Action sought for violating code Democratic Lawyers Association President Yadu Nath Khanal said on Monday that the judges have committed an inexcusable offence by meeting CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and leader Astalaxmi Shakya but added that there was no legal provision to initiate action against them. “The Judicial Council now needs to impose the code of conduct strictly,” he added. DLA, however, has demanded that appointments of those judges who violated the existing code of conduct by meeting party leaders be cancelled and new lawyers be sent to fill in for them. — HNS nnnn