VJIOEG OG POPTOCOL

NEW CHIEF OF PROTOCOL

Kathmandu, 27 July:Kali Prasad Pokharel was appointed

chief of protocol by foreign ministry Friday..
Pokhrel succeeds Niranjan Man Singh Basnyat who has been appointed ambassador to Malaysia.

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DSP ARRESTED WHILE TAKING A BRIBE

Kathmandu, 27 July: CIAA Friday evening arrested DSP Tejendra

Paudel, chief at Metropolitan Police Circle Office Thankot, while taking a

bribe of Rs 35,000 from a scrap dealer.
DSP Paudel was arrested against a complaint of the scrap dealer.

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SAYURDAY MORNING TEMPERATRUE 21 DEGREES CELSIUS

Kathmandu, 27 July: Temperature on a cloudy Saturday

morning temperature was 21 degrees Celsius.

Temperature is expected to rise to 27 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.

Rainfall recorded Friday was 27.7mm.

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GOVT. CONCERNED WITH ELECTION CODE VIOLATION BY

DONORS

Kathmandu, 27 July: The government has expressed concern over the activities of some diplomatic missions, donor agencies and INGOs that contradicts election code of conduct enforced by the Election Commission (EC) four days ago, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Repubica.. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Friday asked all concerned parties to honor the election code of conduct enforced since July 22 to ensure free and fair Constituent Assembly (CA) polls.  “We are grateful to all for the support extended to us. But they [diplomatic and donor community] shall not involve in activities that violates the election code of conduct,” the newly appointed MoFA Spokesperson Deepak Dhital told media. Dhital, who heads UN and International Organisation Division at MoFA, was responding to a query of journalists at a regular press briefing organized at MoFA. Dhital appreciated the support foreign missions, donor agencies and INGOs have extended to the electoral process and development endeavors. The remarks of MoFA spokesperson comes in the wake of ambassadors of some countries and donor agencies as well as INGOs going to the local level, launching projects and directly engaging in election related activities -- something election code of conduct strictly prohibits. While US ambassador to Nepal Peter W Bodde recently made a trip to far-western Nepal, representatives of other embassies, UN agencies and INGOs are also making regular visits to districts seemingly to engage in election related activities. Earlier, both EC and the government directed former king Gyanendra Shah not to engage in relief distribution to flood victims in Darchula districts. A cabinet meeting held on Thursday directed all concerned to distribute relief only through local government bodies. EC Spokesperson Bir Bahadur Rai said they expect all to abide by the election code of conduct. “So far as reports about diplomatic missions and other development partners engaging in activities against election code of conduct is concerned, EC will take its position once it receives complaints,” he said. Though the code of conduct does not explicitly mention anything about diplomats it has clearly said that the donor community or development partners shall not launch any project or conduct any activities that may unduly influence the election process. Former Nepali ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Dr Dinesh Bhattarai said the kind of support donor community has extended for the cause of democratic cause is definitely welcome. “But going to the local level and directing people to do this or that without government´s prior approval is something unusual. This kind of practice is not seen in any other countries in the world,” he told Republica.

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