Major English and Nepali broadsheet newspapers published from Kathmandu on Monday have prioritised a host of political, economic and social issues. As the announcement of results of the third phase of local level elections held last Monday has reached the final phase, some newspapers have carried stories analysing overall results. Likewise, discussions on a bill related to facilities to former VIPs and doctors’ decision to shut outpatient departments of hospitals putting forth various demands have also received the priority.
Important
Bill on facilities to former VIPs sent back to panel
After the government objected to an agreement made among the parties regarding the facilities to former VIPs including former lawmakers, the State Affairs Committee in Parliament has sent the bill on facilities to former VIPs back to its sub-committee for further discussions, reports the anchor story in Gorkhapatra.
Home Minister Janardan Sharma on behalf of the government spoke at the SAC meeting yesterday and said the government wanted the bill to include provisions on facilities of former VIPs excluding former lawmakers. He said the government would propose facilities to former VIPs while formulating another bill on facilities to be provided to members of federal Parliament.
Annapurna Post says with the decision, lawmakers’ attempt to take various facilities including free medicines has failed.
Meanwhile, the decision to send back the bill has weakened the possibility of endorsement of the bill from current House as it just has around three weeks before the dissolution, the Gorkhapatra report comments.
UML becomes largest party in country despite humiliating performance in Province 2
Nagarik lead story for the day says the CPN-UML has been the largest party in the country on the basis of results of three phases of local level elections though it faced is facing a humiliating defeat and being restricted to the fifth position behind regional parties in the third phase held in Province 2 last week.
The party has become the largest force in provinces 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7, second in Province 4 and fifth in Province 2, the report comments, adding it is sure that the Nepali Congress will lag behind the UML by a difference of around 30 local units in overall results.
This is UML’s comeback to the top position after 20 years as it was the largest party in the 1997 local elections as well.
Meanwhile, Annapurna Post says forces favouring the new constitution and republicanism received around 88 votes in the recent polls.
Ignored
Embattled Sajha chief sacked
Republica lead story for the day says the Ministry of Education has finally sacked controversial Chairman and General Manager of Sajha Prakashan, Dolindra Prasad Sharma. He was accused of embezzling millions of rupees from the state coffers, appointing those close to political leaders and mediapersons, not carrying out audit, not maintaining records of annual incomes from book publications, allowing private publishers to use Sajha logo.
The report quotes MoE spokesperson Hari Lamsal as saying that the government will soon make another decision about interim management of the publishing house.
Unsatisfied with the first clarification submitted by Sharma, the government had sought a second clarification from him, asking why he should not be asked on September 12.
Interesting
Nepal’s envoy to India resigning to contest polls
Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Deep Kumar Upadhyay, is all set to resign from his position after Dashain vacation next week so as to contest upcoming House of Representatives polls, reports Naya Patrika anchor story.
The former leader of Nepali Congress is quitting the diplomatic assignment one year become the completion of his term to contest the polls from the same party from Kapilbastu district, the report says Upadhyay has made up the mind to come back to politics after a consultation with the party President and incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador has told the newspaper that his term in New Delhi has become successful as he contributed to strengthening the bilateral relation between the two countries.
