bhimere

TOP LAWYE KRISHNA PRASAD GHIMERE DEAD
Kathmandu, 3 Aug.: Former law minister and senior lawyer Krishna
Prasad Ghimire died  Friday.
He was 96.
Ghimere was a former law secretary and attorney general as well.
His final rites were performed at Pashupati Aryaghat Friday evening.

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MAOIST CHIEF PROPOSES CA WITH 586 MEMBERS

Kathmandu, 3 Aug.: Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal today proposed 586-member Constituent Assembly, increasing its strength by 95 seats from the agreed upon strength of 491. The proposed strength is only 15 less than the

previous CA,pRakash Acharya writes in the Himalayan Times..

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, however, have expressed reservations against the proposal, stating that it would hamper the November 19 polls, as it requires backtracking from the March 13 agreement and issuance of the presidential decree again to adjust the changes.

At today’s High Level Political Committee meeting held at its office in New Baneshwor, Dahal said the increased strength would address the problems related to the constituency delimitation and the demand of agitating parties to increase seats under proportional representation system.

As per the Dahal’s proposal, there will be 240 and 335 seats under the first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems, respectively, to match the 42:58 ratio of seats under FPTP and PR in 2008 CA. The remaining 11 members will be nominated by the Cabinet. In the previous 601-member CA, the Cabinet had the right to nominate 26 members.

“With the proposed strength, the problem of constituency delimitation can be settled by retaining the existing 240 constituencies as they are. Secondly, the increased PR seats will address the demand of agitating parties, including Upendra Yadav-led Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal and Ashok Rai-led Federal Socialist Party,” Unified CPN-Maoist leader Narayankaji Shrestha told The Himalayan Times.

As there is a fat chance of Mohan Baidhya-led CPN-Maoist joining the election process, UCPN-M made the proposal to bring other agitating parties on board the election process, said Shrestha. According to him, the United Democratic Madhesi Front has backed the proposal.

CPN-UML leader Surendra Panday, however, said NC and UML had not given their consent to the proposal.

Today’s HLPC meeting decided that the HLPC-aligned parties would contact the agitating parties and make an attempt to reach a package deal by tomorrow, Shrestha said. “We do not want to waste time, as the Election Commission has already published the election programmes,” he said.

Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat said today’s meeting decided to make a final attempt to bring the disgruntled parties on board the election process.

Meanwhile, UDMF proposed to open voters’ registration for a month at today’s HLPC meeting.

Following an understanding at the meeting, UCPN-M Chairman Dahal met Chief Election Commissioner Nilkantha Upreti at the latter’s office and requested him to open the registration for so many as would not hamper the November 19 polls.

“We do not have any reservation against extending the term by one week if it doesn’t hamper the Election Commission’s arrangements for November 19 polls,” said NC leader Mahat.

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ELECTION UPDATE

DOLAKHA REELS UNDER DONATION DRIVE

Kathmandu, 3 Aug.:  The forced donation campaign launched in Dolakha district in the name of Hamro Nepal Party has terrorised the business community, The

Himalayan Times reports from Charikot.

The little-known party has sought logistical and monetary support worth up to one lakh rupees from every individual, purportedly to draft a pro-people constitution, threatening to take stern action against those, who fail to pay. The extortion campaign has unleashed terror among businesspeople, educational institutions, health institutions and the general public.

A local complained, “The party has been demanding donation over the phone as well.” According to locals, three people belonging to the party have endorsed the donation letters.

So much so, the party has not even spared hospitals.

Kiran Dahal, administrative chief at the Charikot-based Chyorolpa Hospital, said, “They have demanded Rs 1 lakh from the hospital and threatened to punish us if we fail to oblige them.”

The party has demanded Rs 3 lakh from Bhimeshwor municipality.

Meanwhile, the Dolakha District Administration Office has urged all concerned not to donate to any party or organisation, and pledged to catch the extorters.

The donation terror has Dolakha police on high alert.

Dolakha Police Chief Suresh Prasad Kafle, however, said district chief of HAP has denied his party’s involvement in the campaign. Issuing a press statement, the party denied collecting donation from individuals and organisations. The statement bearing the signature of Hem Bahadur Khadka, district chairman of the party, has directed party cadres to help nab the extorters.

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