KATHMANDU, AUG 10 -
The Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Human Rights on Tuesday directed the government to banish the Indian Embassy diplomat who allegedly threatened a Constituent Assembly member and asked it to make the Indian Embassy tender an apology.
The committee also confirmed that the recent visit of Shyam Saran, the special envoy of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was against protocol and directed the government to ensure that such uninformed visits do not recur.
The decision was taken unanimously in Tuesday’s meeting of the committee that had summoned Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who did not turn up, and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to ascertain the facts behind the alleged threat issued by the Indian embassy official to Maoist lawmaker Ram Kumar Sharma.
The Committee asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take initiatives to investigate the incident and do as told subsequently.
Sharma has been demanding an investigation into the alleged “death threat” issued to him by a consular of the Indian Embassy on Friday. Sharma had said he was “threatened” for garnering the Madhesi parties’ support for the UCPN (Maoist) in the prime ministerial election on Aug. 2.
After grilling Koirala, the committee decided to condemn the incident as an attack on the entire nation and its sovereignty. “This is a challenge to the sovereignty of the nation,” said Committee Chairman Padam Lal Bishwokarma.
Lawmakers also slammed the prime minister for “evading” the House session in a departure from the time-honoured parliamentary tradition of Cabinet members attending to the legislature’s call. Nepal did not show up saying that the foreign minister’s presence would suffice to clarify the issue.
In the session, Koirala said her ministry had sent a letter to the Indian embassy asking it to shed light on the alleged threat. She said the embassy replied that it “doesn’t dignify such baseless reports and allegations.” Embassy spokesperson Apoorva Srivastav made a similar comment before the media on Friday, the day of the alleged incident.
Koirala said the Home Ministry would be the right authority to look into the issue. She also said that Saran was on a private visit and “the foreign ministry was not informed about it.”
Maoist leaders had raised the issue with Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood. “We will submit a memorandum as a verbal assurance is not enough,” Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha told the committee on Tuesday.
Indian newspapers including the The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express and The Hindu have covered the alleged threat and the controversy.
Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/08/10/top-story/house-panel-call-to-banish-diplomat/211420/
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
CIAA starts probe into NAC-Airbus deal
KATHMANDU, Aug 11: Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has initiated investigation into controversial deal of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) with Airbus, in which the national flag carrier flouted prevailing procurement law while deciding to buy two aircraft from the European aircraft manufacturer.
“We took control of crucial documents from NAC on Monday and investigations have begun on the controversial deal that drew flak from the Parliament´s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as well as Ministry of Finance (MoF),” said CIAA spokesperson Ishwari Prasad Paudel.
He told Republica that the commission will mainly look into legal compliance and possible anomaly in the deal.
The step by the constitutional anti-graft body has brought the year-long initiatives of NAC to move ahead with the deal to a grinding halt. The corporation, meanwhile, has criticized the move saying it will affect the plan to bring in new aircraft, something which is crucial to make Nepal Tourism Year 2011 successful.
On Oct 2, 2009, NAC had decided to buy a wide-body Airbus A330-200 and a narrow-body A320-200. In this connection it had even forwarded the lock-up money of $750,000 to the aircraft manufacturer.
However, PAC and MoF that investigated into the case had concluded that NAC flouted the existing laws and instructed it to scrap the deal. They had further raised question over NAC´s intention of forwarding the lock-up money before getting government guarantee and arranging finances.
NAC was eyeing to procure the aircraft by taking Rs 10 billion in loan from the Employees Provident Fund, but the manager of Fund had set government guarantee as pre-requisite for issuing loan to the ailing national flag carrier. MoF, on the other hand, had set numerous conditions like management and operational reforms in NAC for pledging such guarantee. However, NAC never took initiatives to gain confidence of MoF.
Subsequently, MoF on May 24 had asked the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), the parent ministry overseeing NAC operations, to direct NAC to recover the lock-up money forwarded to Airbus.
If Airbus refuses to return the lock-up money, it had even instructed MoTCA to recover the money with interest from the concerned NAC officials.
However, top officials at NAC continue to maintain that they never violated Public Procurement Act while undertaking aircraft purchasing process.
Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=22101
“We took control of crucial documents from NAC on Monday and investigations have begun on the controversial deal that drew flak from the Parliament´s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as well as Ministry of Finance (MoF),” said CIAA spokesperson Ishwari Prasad Paudel.
He told Republica that the commission will mainly look into legal compliance and possible anomaly in the deal.
The step by the constitutional anti-graft body has brought the year-long initiatives of NAC to move ahead with the deal to a grinding halt. The corporation, meanwhile, has criticized the move saying it will affect the plan to bring in new aircraft, something which is crucial to make Nepal Tourism Year 2011 successful.
On Oct 2, 2009, NAC had decided to buy a wide-body Airbus A330-200 and a narrow-body A320-200. In this connection it had even forwarded the lock-up money of $750,000 to the aircraft manufacturer.
However, PAC and MoF that investigated into the case had concluded that NAC flouted the existing laws and instructed it to scrap the deal. They had further raised question over NAC´s intention of forwarding the lock-up money before getting government guarantee and arranging finances.
NAC was eyeing to procure the aircraft by taking Rs 10 billion in loan from the Employees Provident Fund, but the manager of Fund had set government guarantee as pre-requisite for issuing loan to the ailing national flag carrier. MoF, on the other hand, had set numerous conditions like management and operational reforms in NAC for pledging such guarantee. However, NAC never took initiatives to gain confidence of MoF.
Subsequently, MoF on May 24 had asked the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), the parent ministry overseeing NAC operations, to direct NAC to recover the lock-up money forwarded to Airbus.
If Airbus refuses to return the lock-up money, it had even instructed MoTCA to recover the money with interest from the concerned NAC officials.
However, top officials at NAC continue to maintain that they never violated Public Procurement Act while undertaking aircraft purchasing process.
Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=22101
House panel summons FM Koirala
Himalayan News Service
KATHMANDU: The parliamentary committee on International Relations and Human Rights today summoned Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to enquire about the purported claim by a Constituent Assembly member that he was issued threat by an official at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
Lawmakers during the meeting today demanded that the government do the needful to deport the official at the embassy.
Sharma, who represents the UCPN-Maoist in CA, had reported on Friday that he was ‘threatened by an official at the Indian Embassy’ and on Sunday had demanded security.
After reading out a letter sent by the Indian Embassy, Minister Koirala told the House committee that her ministry — the Ministry for Foreign Affairs — was probing the incident.
The embassy has stated that it did not deign to comment on such baseless allegations.
The committee has directed the the foreign ministry to initiate process to take action against the alleged Indian Embassy official after conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
The committee members have said that the threat issued to lawmaker Sharma had insulted the CA and was tantamount to insulting the whole country and demanded that thereby the official should be ‘punished’ and ‘expelled’ to ensure sound relations that the two countries enjoy.
UML lawmaker Radha Gyawali said this was not the first case, as other CA members too have complained about threats from the officials at the Indian embassy in the past. Whip of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal Abhishek Pratap Shah too had complained that he was threatened by an Indian Embassy official, she said.
The committee members also drew Minister Koirala’s attention towards frequent visits by foreign officials and diplomats without informing MoFA.
The lawmakers also flayed the top leaders for making frequent trips to New Delhi for the treatment of even minor of the illness. Those could be treated in the country, they said.
On Indian prime minister’s special envoy Shyam Saran’s visit to Kathmandu, Minister Koirala said the visit was a ‘private one’ and MoFA had no information about the visit.
Sharma told the meeting that a person identifying himself as Das from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu had threatened to abduct him and end his political life.
KATHMANDU: The parliamentary committee on International Relations and Human Rights today summoned Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to enquire about the purported claim by a Constituent Assembly member that he was issued threat by an official at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
Lawmakers during the meeting today demanded that the government do the needful to deport the official at the embassy.
Sharma, who represents the UCPN-Maoist in CA, had reported on Friday that he was ‘threatened by an official at the Indian Embassy’ and on Sunday had demanded security.
After reading out a letter sent by the Indian Embassy, Minister Koirala told the House committee that her ministry — the Ministry for Foreign Affairs — was probing the incident.
The embassy has stated that it did not deign to comment on such baseless allegations.
The committee has directed the the foreign ministry to initiate process to take action against the alleged Indian Embassy official after conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
The committee members have said that the threat issued to lawmaker Sharma had insulted the CA and was tantamount to insulting the whole country and demanded that thereby the official should be ‘punished’ and ‘expelled’ to ensure sound relations that the two countries enjoy.
UML lawmaker Radha Gyawali said this was not the first case, as other CA members too have complained about threats from the officials at the Indian embassy in the past. Whip of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal Abhishek Pratap Shah too had complained that he was threatened by an Indian Embassy official, she said.
The committee members also drew Minister Koirala’s attention towards frequent visits by foreign officials and diplomats without informing MoFA.
The lawmakers also flayed the top leaders for making frequent trips to New Delhi for the treatment of even minor of the illness. Those could be treated in the country, they said.
On Indian prime minister’s special envoy Shyam Saran’s visit to Kathmandu, Minister Koirala said the visit was a ‘private one’ and MoFA had no information about the visit.
Sharma told the meeting that a person identifying himself as Das from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu had threatened to abduct him and end his political life.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
--थपिदैछन बिमा कम्पनी --
-- नेपाली बीमा बजारमा विभिन्न १३ बीमा कम्पनी थपिने भएका छन् । ८ जीवन र ५ गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी थपिने भएका हुन् । वित्तीय कम्पनी र व्यवसायिक घरानाहरुको लगानीमा स्थापना हुन लागेका ती बीमा कम्पनी बीमा समितिबाट कारोवार स्वीकृतिको पर्खाइमा छन् । तर विमा ऐन र नियमावली संशोधनको तयारी भैरहेको भन्दै विमा समितिले यीनीहरुलाई साचालन अनुमति दिएको छैन ।
जीवन बीमा कारोवारका लागि सिटिजन्स स्टार सन नेपाल सानिमा रिलायवल आइएमए रिलायन्स र स्टान्डर्ड जीवन बीमा कम्पनीले आवेदन दिएका छन् । सानिमा आइडल जनरल इन्स्योरेन्स अजोड र मनकामनाले गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनका लागि बीमा समितिमा आवेदन दिएका छन् ।
जीवन बीमा कम्पनीका लागि समितिले सबै प्रकृया पूरा गरेपछि अर्थमन्त्रालयमा सिफारिस गर्नु पर्दछ । समितिको सिफारिसमा मन्त्रालयले आवश्यक अनुसन्धान गरेर मात्र सम्वन्धित कम्पनीलाई कारोवार अनुमति दिने गर्दछ । गैरजीवनलाई भने समिति आफैलै स्वीकृति दिने गर्दछ ।
सिटिजन्स् लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई शशिकान्त अग्रवालको शिखर समुहले प्रवद्र्धन गरेको बीमा समिति स्रोतले बतायो । रिलायन्स लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई केडिया ग्रुपले प्रवद्र्धन गरेको छ । गैरआवासीय नेपाली एनआरएन हरुले सानिमा नाम राखेर जीवन र गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनका लागि आवेदन दिएको छ । एनआरएनहरुले सानिमा विकास बैक साचालन गरिरहेका छन् ।
रिलायवल फाइनान्स कम्पनीले रिलायवल लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनी साचालनका लागि स्वीकृति माग गरेको छ । सो समुहको नेतृत्व सुजित घिमिरेले गरेका छन् । यस्तै स्टान्डर्ड फाइनान्सले पनि स्टान्डर्ड लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनी सन्चालनका लागि स्वीकृति कुरेर वसेको छ ।
स्टार लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई योगेन्द्र श्रेष्ठले नेतृत्व गरेको नेपाल सेयर मार्केट फाइनान्सले प्रबद्र्धन गरेको छ । जीवन बीमा कम्पनीले दिएको आवेदनमाथि आवश्यक कार्वाही भइरहेको समितिका कानुन अधिकृत राजकुमार अर्यालले बताए । ुप्रकृया पूरा भएपछि अनुमति दिइने छु उनले भने ।
काठमाडौंमा केन्द्रीय कार्यालय रहने गरी ती सबै कम्पनीले बीमा समितिमा आवेदन दिएका छन् । बीमा ऐन अनुसार कम्पनी साचालनका लागि जीवन बीमाको २५ करोड र गैर जीवन बीमाको १० करोड रुपैयाँ चुक्ता पुँजी हुनु पर्दछ । अहिले नेपालमा ९ जीवन र १६ गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनमा छन् । सरकारी स्वामित्वको राट्रिय बीमा संस्थानले जीवन र गैरजीवन दुवै बीमा गर्दै आएको छ ।
यी कम्पनीमध्ये पाँचै गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनीलाई आवश्यक प्रकृया पूरा गरेर आउन भन्दै बीमा समितिले फर्काएको छ । समितिले पत्र काटी सानिमा आइडल जनरल इन्स्योरेन्स अजोड र मनकामनालाई प्रकृया नपुगेको भन्दै प्रकृया पुर्याएर आउन लिखित अनुरोध गरेको समिति स्रोतले जनाएको छ ।
कम्पनी दर्ता गरी डेढ व&;्रदेखि कारोवार अनुमति पखिर्रहेका ती कम्पनीलाई समितिले पटक पटक प्रकृया पूरा गर्न भन्दै अनुरोध पत्र थमाउने गरेको स्वीकृति पखिर्ररहेका एक गैरजीवन विमा कम्पनीका प्रवद्र्धकले बताए । उने भने बीमा समिति अधिकारीले दुरासय राखेर पटक पटक प्रकृया पुर् याएर आउन भन्ने गरेको छ । उनका अनुसार जति पटक प्रकृया पुर् याएर गए पनि एउटा एउटा बहाना ि;केर फिर्ता पठाउने गरेको छ ।
Source: Share Bazaar
जीवन बीमा कारोवारका लागि सिटिजन्स स्टार सन नेपाल सानिमा रिलायवल आइएमए रिलायन्स र स्टान्डर्ड जीवन बीमा कम्पनीले आवेदन दिएका छन् । सानिमा आइडल जनरल इन्स्योरेन्स अजोड र मनकामनाले गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनका लागि बीमा समितिमा आवेदन दिएका छन् ।
जीवन बीमा कम्पनीका लागि समितिले सबै प्रकृया पूरा गरेपछि अर्थमन्त्रालयमा सिफारिस गर्नु पर्दछ । समितिको सिफारिसमा मन्त्रालयले आवश्यक अनुसन्धान गरेर मात्र सम्वन्धित कम्पनीलाई कारोवार अनुमति दिने गर्दछ । गैरजीवनलाई भने समिति आफैलै स्वीकृति दिने गर्दछ ।
सिटिजन्स् लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई शशिकान्त अग्रवालको शिखर समुहले प्रवद्र्धन गरेको बीमा समिति स्रोतले बतायो । रिलायन्स लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई केडिया ग्रुपले प्रवद्र्धन गरेको छ । गैरआवासीय नेपाली एनआरएन हरुले सानिमा नाम राखेर जीवन र गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनका लागि आवेदन दिएको छ । एनआरएनहरुले सानिमा विकास बैक साचालन गरिरहेका छन् ।
रिलायवल फाइनान्स कम्पनीले रिलायवल लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनी साचालनका लागि स्वीकृति माग गरेको छ । सो समुहको नेतृत्व सुजित घिमिरेले गरेका छन् । यस्तै स्टान्डर्ड फाइनान्सले पनि स्टान्डर्ड लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनी सन्चालनका लागि स्वीकृति कुरेर वसेको छ ।
स्टार लाइफ इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीलाई योगेन्द्र श्रेष्ठले नेतृत्व गरेको नेपाल सेयर मार्केट फाइनान्सले प्रबद्र्धन गरेको छ । जीवन बीमा कम्पनीले दिएको आवेदनमाथि आवश्यक कार्वाही भइरहेको समितिका कानुन अधिकृत राजकुमार अर्यालले बताए । ुप्रकृया पूरा भएपछि अनुमति दिइने छु उनले भने ।
काठमाडौंमा केन्द्रीय कार्यालय रहने गरी ती सबै कम्पनीले बीमा समितिमा आवेदन दिएका छन् । बीमा ऐन अनुसार कम्पनी साचालनका लागि जीवन बीमाको २५ करोड र गैर जीवन बीमाको १० करोड रुपैयाँ चुक्ता पुँजी हुनु पर्दछ । अहिले नेपालमा ९ जीवन र १६ गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनी साचालनमा छन् । सरकारी स्वामित्वको राट्रिय बीमा संस्थानले जीवन र गैरजीवन दुवै बीमा गर्दै आएको छ ।
यी कम्पनीमध्ये पाँचै गैरजीवन बीमा कम्पनीलाई आवश्यक प्रकृया पूरा गरेर आउन भन्दै बीमा समितिले फर्काएको छ । समितिले पत्र काटी सानिमा आइडल जनरल इन्स्योरेन्स अजोड र मनकामनालाई प्रकृया नपुगेको भन्दै प्रकृया पुर्याएर आउन लिखित अनुरोध गरेको समिति स्रोतले जनाएको छ ।
कम्पनी दर्ता गरी डेढ व&;्रदेखि कारोवार अनुमति पखिर्रहेका ती कम्पनीलाई समितिले पटक पटक प्रकृया पूरा गर्न भन्दै अनुरोध पत्र थमाउने गरेको स्वीकृति पखिर्ररहेका एक गैरजीवन विमा कम्पनीका प्रवद्र्धकले बताए । उने भने बीमा समिति अधिकारीले दुरासय राखेर पटक पटक प्रकृया पुर् याएर आउन भन्ने गरेको छ । उनका अनुसार जति पटक प्रकृया पुर् याएर गए पनि एउटा एउटा बहाना ि;केर फिर्ता पठाउने गरेको छ ।
Source: Share Bazaar
Maoists propose withdrawal of PM candidacies
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: In a new political development, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) has proposed to the Nepali Congress (NC) to either support its candidate for prime minister or withdraw the candidacies of both parties and hold serious negotiations.
The Maoists put forward the proposals to the NC during a meeting between the two parties held at Singha Durbar on Monday.
According to Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, his party forwarded two proposals: We propose either to reach an agreement to support a Maoist-led government or agree to withdraw the candidacies of both parties and begin serious negotiations.
But the NC rejected the Maoist proposal to withdraw the party’s candidacy for prime minister. “It would not be prudent to end the ongoing process to elect a new prime minister half way without reaching agreement on an alternative,” said NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat. “It could throw the country towards another crisis if we withdraw candidacy without agreeing on who should be the next prime minister.”
It´s not immediately clear if the Maoists were ready for negotiations on the contentious issues of the peace process and constitution writing and were proposing withdrawal of candidacies by both parties to facilitate that process. The response of leaders of the two parties over this is conflicting.
Maoist Vice-chairman Shrestha claimed that his party was ready to negotiate and strike a deal on the issues related to the peace process.
But NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi countered that claim. He said the Maoist leaders didn´t say that they were ready to negotiate the issues of the peace process. "It´s actually we who said that there has to be negotiations and agreements on the issues of government leadership and the peace process before there is an agreement on withdrawal of the current candidacies for the post of prime minister"
In January, the political parties came up with a six point-agenda for negotiations to end the political stalemate and ensure constitution writing but the agenda was never negotiated in earnest.
The senior NC leader said the Maoists came up with the new proposal for public consumption and to stop the upcoming UML central committee meeting from changing its position of neutrality. "There was growing pressure within the UML to change its current stance and vote for the NC in the next round of voting for prime minister. Now that is less likely."
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel are in the race for new prime minister following Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation on July 1.
Sushil Koirala, Paudel, Nidhi, Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Prasad Sitaula from the NC and Maoist leaders Dahal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya, Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Thapa from the Maoists were present at the meeting.
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: In a new political development, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) has proposed to the Nepali Congress (NC) to either support its candidate for prime minister or withdraw the candidacies of both parties and hold serious negotiations.
The Maoists put forward the proposals to the NC during a meeting between the two parties held at Singha Durbar on Monday.
According to Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, his party forwarded two proposals: We propose either to reach an agreement to support a Maoist-led government or agree to withdraw the candidacies of both parties and begin serious negotiations.
But the NC rejected the Maoist proposal to withdraw the party’s candidacy for prime minister. “It would not be prudent to end the ongoing process to elect a new prime minister half way without reaching agreement on an alternative,” said NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat. “It could throw the country towards another crisis if we withdraw candidacy without agreeing on who should be the next prime minister.”
It´s not immediately clear if the Maoists were ready for negotiations on the contentious issues of the peace process and constitution writing and were proposing withdrawal of candidacies by both parties to facilitate that process. The response of leaders of the two parties over this is conflicting.
Maoist Vice-chairman Shrestha claimed that his party was ready to negotiate and strike a deal on the issues related to the peace process.
But NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi countered that claim. He said the Maoist leaders didn´t say that they were ready to negotiate the issues of the peace process. "It´s actually we who said that there has to be negotiations and agreements on the issues of government leadership and the peace process before there is an agreement on withdrawal of the current candidacies for the post of prime minister"
In January, the political parties came up with a six point-agenda for negotiations to end the political stalemate and ensure constitution writing but the agenda was never negotiated in earnest.
The senior NC leader said the Maoists came up with the new proposal for public consumption and to stop the upcoming UML central committee meeting from changing its position of neutrality. "There was growing pressure within the UML to change its current stance and vote for the NC in the next round of voting for prime minister. Now that is less likely."
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel are in the race for new prime minister following Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation on July 1.
Sushil Koirala, Paudel, Nidhi, Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Prasad Sitaula from the NC and Maoist leaders Dahal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya, Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Thapa from the Maoists were present at the meeting.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Congress general convention put off till Sept 17
KATHMANDU: A Central Working Committee meeting of the Nepali Congress today decided to postpone its 12th General Convention for 22 days due to lack of sufficient preparation and ongoing standoff in the process of prime ministerial elections.
The GC will now be convened from September 17 to 21 in Kathmandu. Earlier, it was scheduled to be held from August 26 to 30. The party’s CWC’s five-year term will expire on September 16. Originally the CWC had a three-year term but the incumbent CWC’s term was extended by
two years, citing adverse political situation as per the party’s statute.
It is mandatory to hold a party’s convention once in five years as per the Election Commission’s rule.
“As the party’s local units’ conventions have already been held and the GC’s process has already been moved forward, crossing the September 16 deadline will not be illegal and we have already consulted the Election Commission in this regard,” said CWC member Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
This is the fourth time that the party postponed the GC citing lack of preparation. Internal dispute in the party was also the cause behind earlier three postponements. The 11th GC held in 2005 had decided to go for the Constituent Assembly elections and to remain indifferent on the issue of monarchy, which was a major ideological shift in the party’s six-decade history.
Lack of timely preparation for the convention and the standoff in the process of the prime ministerial elections are the main reasons behind the postponement, said CWC me-mber Sitaula. The committee headed by senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, formed to dr-aft the party’s policy and programme for the next term, is yet to complete its task while other managerial tasks for the convention are not yet over.
“We were unable to complete all preparatory work in time for GC due to the party leaders’ engagement in the local units’ conventions and the ongoing standoff in the process to elect new PM,” said CWC member and chief whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire. The party has completed village and area-level conventions. District-level conventi-ons will be held on September 12.
Meanwhile, today’s CWC meeting decided that 14 GC representatives will take part in the upcoming GC from India’s Nepali Janasamparka Samiti. There are 1,039 active members of the party in India. Seven representatives each from other countries, including UK, Japan and Qatar, which have at least 500 active members, will take part in the GC as per today’s decision.
CWC also decided that five representatives, including chairperson from each sister organisation, will be selected as GC representatives and the selection will be done in the presence of central election committee’s observer.
It was decided that the party would not withdraw from race for prime ministerial berth.
Source: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Congress+general+convention+put+off+till+Sept+17&NewsID=252884
The GC will now be convened from September 17 to 21 in Kathmandu. Earlier, it was scheduled to be held from August 26 to 30. The party’s CWC’s five-year term will expire on September 16. Originally the CWC had a three-year term but the incumbent CWC’s term was extended by
two years, citing adverse political situation as per the party’s statute.
It is mandatory to hold a party’s convention once in five years as per the Election Commission’s rule.
“As the party’s local units’ conventions have already been held and the GC’s process has already been moved forward, crossing the September 16 deadline will not be illegal and we have already consulted the Election Commission in this regard,” said CWC member Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
This is the fourth time that the party postponed the GC citing lack of preparation. Internal dispute in the party was also the cause behind earlier three postponements. The 11th GC held in 2005 had decided to go for the Constituent Assembly elections and to remain indifferent on the issue of monarchy, which was a major ideological shift in the party’s six-decade history.
Lack of timely preparation for the convention and the standoff in the process of the prime ministerial elections are the main reasons behind the postponement, said CWC me-mber Sitaula. The committee headed by senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, formed to dr-aft the party’s policy and programme for the next term, is yet to complete its task while other managerial tasks for the convention are not yet over.
“We were unable to complete all preparatory work in time for GC due to the party leaders’ engagement in the local units’ conventions and the ongoing standoff in the process to elect new PM,” said CWC member and chief whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire. The party has completed village and area-level conventions. District-level conventi-ons will be held on September 12.
Meanwhile, today’s CWC meeting decided that 14 GC representatives will take part in the upcoming GC from India’s Nepali Janasamparka Samiti. There are 1,039 active members of the party in India. Seven representatives each from other countries, including UK, Japan and Qatar, which have at least 500 active members, will take part in the GC as per today’s decision.
CWC also decided that five representatives, including chairperson from each sister organisation, will be selected as GC representatives and the selection will be done in the presence of central election committee’s observer.
It was decided that the party would not withdraw from race for prime ministerial berth.
Source: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Congress+general+convention+put+off+till+Sept+17&NewsID=252884
Dahal too met Saran separately
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: Maoist leaders close to Dr Baburam Bhattarai have accused the party establishment of slandering Dr Bhattarai for the latter´s separate meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh´s special envoy Shyam Saran at Dwarika´s Village Hotel in Kathmandu last Thursday.
They said Bhattarai met Saran after party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal requested him to do so and Dahal too met Saran separately at the Indian embassy Friday.
"It is yet another attempt to tarnish the image of Bhattarai as pro-Indian," said Maoist politburo member Devendra Poudel.
The leaders were responding to the statements by Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun who, in an interview with BBC Nepali Service on Saturday, had stated that the party would "seek clarification from Bhattarai over the meeting at a time when he is being seen as a pro-Indian leader inside and outside the party".
"Pun, however, did not say anything about the meeting between the chairman and Saran during the BBC interview. He is just being too loyal to Dahal," said another leader.
According to the leaders, Dahal had asked Bhattarai to hold separate meeting with Saran to remove the existing mistrust between the Maoist party and India, saying he would also meet the envoy the next day.
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: Maoist leaders close to Dr Baburam Bhattarai have accused the party establishment of slandering Dr Bhattarai for the latter´s separate meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh´s special envoy Shyam Saran at Dwarika´s Village Hotel in Kathmandu last Thursday.
They said Bhattarai met Saran after party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal requested him to do so and Dahal too met Saran separately at the Indian embassy Friday.
"It is yet another attempt to tarnish the image of Bhattarai as pro-Indian," said Maoist politburo member Devendra Poudel.
The leaders were responding to the statements by Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun who, in an interview with BBC Nepali Service on Saturday, had stated that the party would "seek clarification from Bhattarai over the meeting at a time when he is being seen as a pro-Indian leader inside and outside the party".
"Pun, however, did not say anything about the meeting between the chairman and Saran during the BBC interview. He is just being too loyal to Dahal," said another leader.
According to the leaders, Dahal had asked Bhattarai to hold separate meeting with Saran to remove the existing mistrust between the Maoist party and India, saying he would also meet the envoy the next day.
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