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AFTER VOTER REGISTRATION ENDS, SUPREME COURT

ORDERS STOP TO DISTRIBUTE VOTING Id CARDS WITHOUT CITIZENSHIP

Kathmandu, 15 July: The Supreme Court on Monday issued an interim order in response to a writ petition filed demanding a stop to giving non-Nepalis the right to vote, but only on the day when voter registration came to a close on Monday, RSS reports.. A single bench of Justice Sushila Karki issued the order in the name of the Election Commission asking it to not immediately enforce the provision that grants non-Nepalis the right to vote in Nepal. Though the order states that both the sides to the case are to be summoned for deliberations, the date has not been specified. The writ petition was filed by advocate Purna Kanta Poudel five days ago arguing that the provision in Rule 31 (a) of Voters´ Roll Regulations was likely to give a non-Nepali an opportunity to be registered as a voter in Nepal.

FINANCE MINISTER KOIRLA ASSURES BUDGET

IMPLEMENTATION

Kathmandu, 15 July:: Finance Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala has said that the government was committed to effectively implement the budget it brought yesterday. A concrete work plan has been prepared for this, he said, RSS reports..

At a news conference organized at the Finance Ministry, Minister Koirala said a taskforce was formed to implement the budget, and the taskforce would begin its work from tomorrow.

No activity would be carried out rendering economic burden to the nation´s fund and a provision is made that the development programmes could not be changed from the March/April, he said, the Ministry and the National Planning Commission would approve the development projects of the first priority within Saun 15.

According to him, the budget incorporated development activities considering the approach paper of various periodic plans including the 13th 3-year plan. He claimed that the budget was brought as per the consultation with the political parties.

The budget has included the programmes that can be implemented with a focus on development activities, he added.

Similarly, the market monitoring would be intensified to control the price hike.

The government has aimed at securing 5.5 per cent economic growth in the coming fiscal year.

Minister Koirala also claimed that the budget also focused on solving the energy crisis.

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