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31/12/2022: Street
children demand legal documents as they turn
adult : The street-children-turned-adults say
their miseries have compounded in lack of legal
status as a Nepali citizen (nlt), How
should the new MPs stay connected to people? At
least once in a month, the new MPs should hold a
town hall meeting where the public from their
constituencies can come and interact live with
them, by Simone Galimberti (nlt), National
Unity and Reconciliation Day being observed
today (kh), Can
Dahal succeed as prime minister of a fragile
coalition? The nod to a high-level political
mechanism under KP Sharma Oli suggests his
over-dependence on the UML, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Nepal
Needs Deep Economic Reforms, by Hari Prasad
Shrestha (rep), Former
MPs yet to return their 'insignia', by
Ishwari Subedi (rep), New
Swing In Coalition Politics, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening); Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
30/12/2022: Scourge
of patriarchy : Offenders of dowry-related
crimes continue to get away as most such
incidents go unreported (kp), ‘State
can curtail freedom of press and expression at
any time’ (rep), Dalit
representatives demand meaningful participation
(kh), Independent
candidates to hold national convention in Feb
(kh), Oli
to lead drafting of government’s common
programme : The panel he heads will work as a
political mechanism to support the government,
at least in the UML’s reading, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Chopper
permit hassles costing lives in Gorkha : Many
people, pregnant women in particular, are dying
due to the red tape in flying out from
restricted areas, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [Irresponsible
administration!], A
year of geopolitical significance : The year
gone by also saw a series of high-level visits
from India, the United States and China, by
Anil Giri (kp), The
year of diseases : Health authorities admit that
the government utterly failed to protect the
people in times of emergency, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Nepal’s
economy busted by Covid, war and inflation :
From fuel to food and transportation to
entertainment, everything became dearer for
Nepalis, by Krishana Prasain (kp), A
wind of change is blowing : But voters are
sceptical whether the new parties and leaders
will do anything different because the parties
and even some independent candidates have
repeatedly tricked the public with their false
promises, analysts say, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp) [But the eternally
outdated, failed male top politicians have not
yet grasped it!], Still
waiting for justice after 16 years : The
thousands of victims of the decade-long Maoist
insurgency do not trust the government anymore
as no progress has been made in providing
justice, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The one who confessed to
being responsible for the deaths of 5,000 people
is now PM for the third time : Target achieved!],
Dahal
is the new prime minister in Nepal’s tit-for-tat
politics : The post-poll alliance surprised all,
including Nepal’s close neighbours, China and
India, by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Can
Prime Minister Dahal steer the fragile
coalition?, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), New
Coalition Govt: Policy or Office Seeking?,
by Hrishita Badu (rep), More
rough weather ahead : The political parties did
not develop a common minimum programme to tackle
the growing problems of the country, and the
coming days could be more difficult for the
people, by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning (English),
evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
29/12/2022: Women
in Madhesh are being murdered over dowry :
Justice remains elusive, complain victim’s
relatives, by Rupa Gahatraj (kp), Reluctant
federalists : Troublingly, partners in the
current ruling coalition have little to say
about strengthening federalism (kp), Cabinet
to be expanded only after PM takes vote of
confidence (kh), Govt
to bring Common Minimum Program within 5 days :
UML Chairman Oli picked coordinator of the
ruling alliance (kh) [In 2020/21, Oli repeatedly attempted a
coup, which went unpunished. Now he returns to
power in steps! Is Dahal ultimately just a
puppet in Oli's power ambitions?], Can
Dahal walk the foreign policy tightrope? Nepali
premier needs to find an equilibrium in ties
with two neighbours and calibrate country’s
relations with the West, by Anil Giri (kp),
Gajurel
likely to be picked for vice-president (ht)
[Of course a male Bahun,
who else? In the past, politicians with a party
affiliation have not been particularly
successful as presidents. The six percent of
male Bahuns cannot get enough posts! This is
called social inclusion!], Surrendering
citizenship card: An ethical decision, by
Mahendra P Joshi (ht), Former
Nepal Army generals, experts highlight role of
military diplomacy to safeguard national
interests : ‘Now that the powerful countries are
at our doorstep to advance their own interests,
military diplomacy can be one tool of the
government to safeguard our national interests’
(nlt)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening); Sagarmatha TV (evening)
28/12/2022: Seniors
opting out citing Lamichhane’s high Cabinet rank
; The coalition is forming a mechanism
comprising party chiefs to finalise power
sharing and oversee government, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Dahal
has the opportunity to fully implement
federalism. But will he? Previous governments
wasted such chances due to their vested
interests, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
27/12/2022: Third
time lucky? Just like Dahal uses his flexible
mindset to serve his own interests, he can
employ it in the national interest (kp) [Personal power interests
have the highest priority for all Nepali top
politicians!], Prime
minister settled, all eyes on President and
Speaker race : UML is supposed to have the
President for five years while the Speaker will
change with the change in prime minister, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), A
parlous path ahead for Rabi Lamichhane : Within
six months of quitting TV job, the Rastriya
Swatantra Party chief has emerged as one of most
powerful leaders, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp), JSP
not to join govt immediately : Party holding
meeting on Jan 2 and 3, 2023 (kh), Finance
minister inherits a troubled economy again :
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister
Bishnu Poudel vows to take measures to overcome
the economic problems, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Nepal
gets new Finance Minister amid economic doldrum
: CPN-UML leader Bishnu Prasad Paudel was sworn
in as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister
on Monday. But he confronts myriads of
challenges to correct the course in the economic
sector, by Ashim Neupane (nlt), Seven-party
alliance likely to sweep provinces too (ae)
[This is because Nepal
calls itself a federal state only on paper. In
reality, the national level continues to decide
policy in the provinces!], Expectations
from the New Government, by Shanker Man
Singh (rep), Dahal,
Oli Rejoin Forces Congress Left High And Dry,
by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
26/12/2022: Vulnerable
girls, women being trafficked to India by their
own relatives, acquaintances : Maiti Nepal has
rescued 30 Nepali girls and women from the
country in the past one year, by Bhawani
Bhatta (kp), A
story of homeless and battle for citizenship :
Once a homeless kid, Rajesh has found home and
has his own family but the battle for
citizenship for himself and his kids is taking a
toll on his hope, positivity and confidence
(nlt), Surkhet
children displaced by floods are dropping out of
schools : In August 2014, floods hit several
villages in Surkhet and displaced around 970
families. Several children living in the camp
are deprived of formal education for financial
difficulties, by Tripti Shahi (kp) [All major parties have been in
government several times since and have
not cared!],
No
respite for national economy with more
instability in store : Continued political
instability will put a damper on an already
slowing economy, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp) [How long will
Nepal allow itself such incompetent and
dishonest politicians?], In
a U-turn, Dahal ditches Deuba to form government
with Oli, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Dahal
becomes prime minister again, Oli the new
kingmaker, by Tika R Pradhan and Purushottam
Poudel (kp) [And the
non-partisan president is beaming more than she
has in a long time. This time she didn't even
have to do anything immoral; Dahal, Oli and
others did it for her!], NC
General Secy Thapa accuses PM Prachanda of
dishonesty (kh), Nepal’s
too-quick high-voltage political drama, by
Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh), Nagarik
Unmukti Party decides not to join government
(ae), RPP
not to join government (ae), China,
India congratulate Prachanda, moment after being
appointed Nepal PM (nlt), Congratulatory
notes keep coming for newly appointed Nepal PM :
The US envoy to Nepal and Prime Minister of
Pakistan have extended congratulations to
Prachanda (nlt), President
administers oath of office and secrecy to
newly-appointed PM Dahal (kh), Prachanda-led
government: Was it China’s clandestine move?
(kh)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
25/12/2022: President’s
deadline to recommend PM ending today (kh),
Still
unresolved: Who leads the coalition government
first? The Nepali Congress-led alliance is
pushing for a last-minute deal ahead of the
expiry of President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s Sunday
deadline for new government formation, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Ruling
parties inch ‘closer’ to power-sharing deal :
Leaders to meet again today to finalize the deal
(rep), NC,
CPN-MC fail to agree on next PM : Nepali
Congress leaders not willing to make way for
Dahal to lead the new government, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), Prachanda
accuses PM Deuba of breaking promise (kh) ["My party got an
overwhelming 11 per cent of the votes, so all
the people want is me as prime minister!"],
Prachanda
holding talks with UML Chair Oli on govt
formation (kh) [The
failed, ageing politicians - Dahal, Oli and
Deuba - continue to work on the destruction of
the country instead of finally transferring the
responsibility to a younger generation!],
As
deadline to form new government approaches,
ruling alliance on the verge of split : Both the
Nepali Congress and Maoist Center do not want to
compromise in the power-sharing deal. This has
resulted in the last minute twist in the ruling
alliance (nlt) [Thanks
to the power-hungry but incompetent top
politicians, the electoral alliance is finally
proving to be a big fraud on the voters! Without
the electoral alliance, the CPN (MC) would have
fallen into the abyss!], RSP
Chair Lamichhane meets UML Chair Oli in Balkot
(kh) [???], Four
parties in Balkot after ruling coalition fails
to forge consensus (kh), Prachanda-led
government; 7 parties and 169 parliamentarians
(kh), Prachanda
at Shital Niwas with the support of 7 parties
(kh), Maoist
Center Chair Prachanda appointed as PM for the
third time : Oath to office and secrecy at 4 pm
tomorrow (kh), Prachanda
appointed Nepal’s new prime minister (nlt),
JSP
decides to join Prachanda-led government
(kh), Janamat
Party decides to join Prachanda-led govt
(kh), China
congratulates Prachanda for being appointed as
Prime Minister (kh), Citizenship
Bill may resurface as a major agenda in
government formation : For declining to
authenticate the Bill twice, President Bhandari
was accused of failing to uphold her
constitutional duties, by Purushottam Poudel
(kp), On
Election of New President (rep), Women
representation still remains bare minimum,
by Arpana Adhikari (rn)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
24/12/2022: How
Nepali society silences gender-based violence
survivors : Breaking the silence against abuse
has been a challenge, especially for ‘urban’
women. Their hesitance can mostly be attributed
to lack of support in their immediate circles,
by Pinki Sris Rana (kp), At
least five women were killed in Nepal by
partners or family members over the period of
“16 days of activism” : Horrific incidents
demand an urgent need of meaningful
interventions by all concerned stakeholders to
end the violence against women (nlt), All
options open as new government deadline looms :
Deuba firm on continuing as prime minister,
Dahal wants to dethrone him. Oli seeks to drive
a wedge between them, by Anil Giri and Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [It's
always the same with these failed politicians.
These three are mainly responsible for the
failed renewal of the country after Jana Andolan
II. And still none of them says what he wants to
do differently now than before.], NC,
Maoist Center at odds over power-sharing deal,
by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Former
foreign ministers of Nepal stress on grants or
concessional loans on BRI projects : Nepal
signed the BRI agreement in 2017 but not a
single project has been undertaken, nor any
provisions implemented so far (nlt), CK
Raut’s oath in ‘Madheshi’ language ruffles
feathers : Madheshi Commission writes to
Parliament Secretariat seeking a clarification
on why some lawmakers were administered the oath
in ‘Madheshi’ language, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp) [???], What
makes the post of President increasingly
attractive to political parties? The moves of
the two Presidents have sent a message that the
role of the head of the state is crucial, and
more so when there is a hung parliament, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Duties
Of Voters Merit In Democracy, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
23/12/2022: NHRC's
status: Why it went from A to B, by Shree
Ram Adhikari (ht), Safety
valve politics : Voters reaffirmed their trust
in the democratic system to give voice to those
historically deprived of it, and the main
parties will disregard this at their own peril,
by Chandra Kishore (nt), Keeping
the House in order : The new cohort of
first-time MPs is expected to avoid becoming
pawns in the hands of a handful of leaders
(kp), Prachanda
proposes forming coalition govt under his
leadership (kh) [Neither
Deuba nor Dahal! They lost the elections despite
their alliance manipulations. It is time for a
generational change!], Race
for next PM : The coalition could break up if
Deuba and Dahal fail to find a middle path
(ht) [They only have
their power in mind, not the necessities of the
country and the needs of its citizens!],
Gagan
Thapa bats for apolitical President : Says the
Nepali Congress should not stake claim to both
prime minister and President, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp), Let’s
clean up the judiciary : Nepal can learn from
the example of Kenya which has set up a judicial
vetting system, by Raju Prasad Chapagai
(kp), China
exerting pressure on Nepal’s Left parties for
unity (kh) [???],
Financial
literacy level still low: NRB survey : NRB
survey shows the country’s financial literacy
score at 57.9 percent (ae)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
22/12/2022: No
End To Transactional Politics, by Mukti
Rijal (rn) [The
arrogance with which the ageing and failed
so-called top politicians ignore their electoral
defeat can no longer be surpassed! In a
functioning democracy, such politicians would
have resigned long ago!], Can
two regional parties stay true to their agenda?
Janamat Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party should
learn from the failures of big Madhesh parties,
experts advise, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Deuba
challengers to stay out of Cabinet, keep him
honest : The Thapa-Koirala camp’s strategy seems
to be to keep a close eye on the functioning of
Sher Bahadur Deuba, by Purushottam Poudel
(kp), Move
over, pops : Gagan Thapa may have lost the
Congress election, but he claimed a moral
victory (kp) [Gagan
Thapa could be the right reaction to the
election result, unlike failed politicians like
Deuba, not to speak of Dahal!], Respect
the Results of Change : In view of the
demography and the challenges facing the
country, new leadership with vitality and vision
is the demand of the time and passion of the
people, by Chiranjibi Paudyal (rep), Supreme
Court bars Army from awarding expressway
contract to Chinese company : The court has
scheduled another hearing for Friday (kp), Economy
in the doldrums (rep), All
is not well with Rastriya Swatantra Party
(ae), Save
people from the cold (ae), Youths
Emerge As Change Agents, by Shyam Prasad
Mainali (rn)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
21/12/2022: Too
young to marry : More effort is needed to raise
awareness and educate young men, women and
parents (kp), Melancholy
of the Madheshi intelligentsia : Except Madhesh,
all other provinces are patterned after the old
regional administrative system, by CK Lal
(kp), Thapa
throws down the gauntlet in party’s premiership
race, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), It’s
Thapa vs Deuba in Congress MP leader race : Win
or lose parliamentary party vote, Gagan Thapa
has already projected himself as the party’s
future leader, by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Deuba
elected Nepali Congress PP leader
(kh) [At 76,
still the future and hope of the party
for the next five years? Poor Nepal!],
NC
General Secretary Thapa announces he
will not join govt (kh), Gagan
Thapa lost the battle but that’s not an
end of story : Gagan Thapa lost the
battle of parliamentary party election
in Nepali Congress but observers say his
candidacy means a lot for Nepali
Congress and politics at large, by
Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), The
burden of trust: RSP’s challenges :
Members of the Rastriya Swatantra Party
are young, educated, and driven, which
is good but not enough, by Naresh
Koirala (kp), SC
refuses to issue stay order against Rabi
Lamichhane’s oath taking (kh), What
does fractured mandate mean for foreign
policy?, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep),
Importance
Of A Strong Opposition, by Namrata
Sharma (rn) [In
this sense, parties that distinguished
themselves as alternatives in the
elections should not participate in
government now!], Electoral
Mandate And Message, by Yuba Nath
Lamsal (rn), Deuba’s
leadership crucial to ensure coalition’s
continuity, stability, by Sunita Bul
(kh) [The
election results speak a different
language. The governing coalition fell
short of a majority despite manipulative
candidate nominations. This means: It is
time for a change in leadership.
Stability has not existed so far and a
change of government after two years is
the exact opposite.]
see also TV
news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening); Sagarmatha TV (evening)
20/12/2022: President’s
call hastens the PM race : NC chief unwilling to
wait, but Dahal to stay only if he gets the
first shot at prime minister, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [Please
none of them! The change to a younger generation
could be a compromise and finally a solution!],
Dahal,
Oli unchallenged as parliamentary party leaders
: Congress is picking its Wednesday and there
are multiple contenders (kp) [So carry on as before, no
matter what the voters have expressed despite
the alliance manipulations!], Race
For PM: Let Rationality Prevail, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn) [Rationality
has no place in the thinking of the
authoritarian, egocentric and outdated party
leaders!]
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
19/12/2022: Scramble
for power : Speaking for the public from the
opposition can help smaller parties bolster
their democratic credentials (kp) [Hopefully the smaller
parties will understand this. They were not
elected to help the big parties continue their
failed policies!], 5
parties have numbers to pick their President :
Multiple aspirants from various parties eye the
top post, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), President
gives parties seven days to form government : As
no party has a majority, any member of the House
who has the backing of 138 members in the
275-strong Parliament gets appointed prime
minister, by Binod Ghimire (kp). Provincial
politics hinges on federal coalition : Who forms
provincial governments will be clear after
Cabinet takes shape in Kathmandu, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [Misunderstood
federalism: In the still centrally oriented
state of Nepal, the national political level
also decides on policy in the provinces! Thus
the federalism thought is led ad absurdum!],
Limi
locals deprived of social security grants for 17
months : More than 200 beneficiaries haven’t
been able to reach the bank to verify their KYC
applications and hence haven’t been able to
collect the money, by Janak Bahadur Shahi
(kp) [??!!], Migrant
departures turn into exodus as economy stalls :
Official statistics show that 347,340 Nepalis
had left the country by the first five-month
period that ended mid-December, by Pawan
Pandey (kp), Newly
elected parliamentarians to take
oath on December 22
(kh), Presidential,
Vice-presidential election to be
held by March 14: CEC Thapaliya
(kh), Impeachment
conundrum: Making a mockery of
the constitution, by Pushpa
R Joshi (ht), Resurrecting
economy: New government has its
task cut out (ae)
see
also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
18/12/2022: Bell
ringing for status-quo : The November elections
were more a loss for established parties than a
win for newbies, by Paban Raj Pandey (kp), Ordinance:
A tool for emergency law or a means to serve
politicians’ vested interests? Multiple,
hastily-brought ordinances show rulers have been
bypassing Parliament to legalise their actions,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp) [Definitely the latter!], Dahal
stakes formal claim to government leadership
with Deuba : With the Maoist chief’s proposal,
negotiations on new government formation have
entered a decisive stage, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp) [So continue
as before! Sticking with these old failed
politicians means not only stagnation but
regression for Nepal's political stabilisation!
The voters voted these politicians out when they
denied them a majority!], NC
opts to form govt under its leadership (kh),
Bhutanese
community demand amnesty for political prisoners
in Bhutan : International organizations must
also continue to advocate publicly for the
protection of human rights in Bhutan, speakers
said (nlt), Kerung-Kathmandu
rail: China offers feasibility deal,
Nepal stalls : The matter will be taken
up by the incoming federal government,
say Nepali officials, by Anil Giri
(kp 18/12/2022) [The
incoming government will probably be one
of the most unstable governments Nepal
has ever had! Therefore, such decisions
are improbable. In addition, the USA
will probably try to prevent any
cooperation of Nepal with China in the
context of its global power ambitions!],
Parliament
Secretariat adopting e-attendance to
make MPs give more time in House, by
Narayan Neupane (rn), President
Bhandari calls upon parties to recommend
PM by December 25 (kh), President
calls parties to stake claim to form new
government within seven days : As no
political parties single-handedly got
majority in the recently-concluded
polls, President Bhandari has called
parties to stake their claim for the
post of prime minister as per Article 76
(2) (nlt)
see also TV
news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
17/12/2022: Raging
debate: Can former chief justice be head of
state? Most legal experts say the Constitution
doesn’t allow it. But some consider the
presidency an exception, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), New
parties keen on joining government, but with
caveats : Nagarik Unmukti presses for Resham’s
release, Janamat eyes Madhesh chief minister,
Swatantra remains divided, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), National
Dalit Commission recommends action against Mayor
Sampang over a social media post (rep), Can
Nepal Avoid the Debt Trap?, by Hari Prasad
Shrestha (rep), Leadership
Integrity Vital For Democracy, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn), Who
will be the next prime minister? Deuba may be a
strong contender for the post, but he has
competition within the coalition, as well as the
NC, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)
see also TV news:
Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
16/12/2022: Foreign
powers weigh in as new faces join President race
: Experts say Nepal should continue to elect
President from among members of traditionally
disadvantaged groups, by Anil Giri and Binod
Ghimire (kp) [Why not
Mohna Ansari? She is highly intellectual, comes
from one of the most disadvantaged groups, was
its outstanding personality during her time as a
member of the NHRC, and is an exemplary advocate
for human rights, especially those of the highly
marginalized groups in society! One can hardly
imagine a better president. In any case, it
would be better if the office were not filled by
a leading member of the political parties!
Against the background that politics is even
more dominated by males than before, it should
definitely be a woman again!], Ruling
parties begin discussions on electing
‘non-political’ person as president, by Kosh
Raj Koirala (rep), Is
UML assessing possible alternatives to form
government? (kh), Dutch
envoy violates diplomatic etiquette :
Vienna Convention says diplomats should
not interfere in internal affairs of
host nations, by Purushottam Poudel
(kp), Old
Games, New Faces : A mood-based analysis
of recent elections from abroad, by
Uttam Paudel (rep), Why
the Madheshi Commission removed Muslims
and Tharus from the list of Madheshis
(rep) [The Tharu
have identified themselves as a Janajati
group for decades. If the state
respected this, the Adivasi Janajati
group would be the strongest social
group in the electoral law, for example,
with over 35 percent.], Appointment
of justices at SC stalled due to
absence of parliament to conduct
hearings (rep), SC
rejects plea to stop prez from
issuing ordinance (ht) [??],
Nepal’s
hard working students overseas :
‘Abroad studies’ has become
synonymous with emigration with
no incentives for students to
return home, by Sonia Awale
(nt)
see
also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
15/12/2022: Early
marriage traps disadvantaged girls in poverty
cycle : A multisectoral approach is needed to
understand and eradicate this multifaceted
social evil, say experts, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), 15
Dalit leaders elected to HoR under proportional
category (kh), Nepal
rights groups ask FIFA chief to ensure
compensation for Nepali workers : The rights
bodies have written that it would be
unforgivable to continue to ignore the plight of
Nepali workers (kp), Dalit
community sees representation of 28 PR members
in province assemblies (kh) [This means 5 percent of the
MPs from about 14 per cent of the population!
Just imagine, in the seven provinces there would
be a total of only 12 male MPs from the Bahun
community who make up six per cent of the
population!], FPTP
Election: A Road Less Travelled by Women :
Providing equal opportunity to women in
elections is crucial to believe in women’s
capacity and change stereotypes in politics,
by Neelam Dhanuse (rep) [Nepal's
macho politicians will do everything they can to
prevent this!], Rule
by decree : The amendment of the Criminal Code
via an ordinance could set a dangerous precedent
(kp) [It would not be
the first such criminal action of the Nepalese
politicians!], End
ordinance Raj : This transitional government has
overstepped its jurisdiction by issuing the
controversial ordinance (ae), Petition
claims Lamichhane is not a Nepali citizen : The
journalist-turned-politician is accused of not
ceding his Nepali citizenship even after taking
US citizenship (kp), Doctor
accused of domestic violence and demanding dowry
arrested : Neha Chaudhary has accused Pankaj
Chaudhary, her husband of nine months, of
physical and mental abuse for not bringing
enough dowry (kp), Who
will be Nepal’s next PM?, by Akhilesh
Tripathi (rep), UML
offers Maoist Chairman Dahal to lead new govt as
left parties intensify dialogue for new alliance,
by Tapindra Karki (rep) [When
will these power-hungry aging politicians who
are ruining the country finally be put out of
business?], Dahal’s
power grab ploy, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai
(ae), Which
first: PM appointment or House session?
President’s Office says there has been no
consultations about which of the two routes to
take (kp) [Article
76 of the Constitution states that the
politician who has a majority of deputies in the
HoR shall be appointed prime minister. But this
majority can only exist after the House has met
for the first time!], Parties
Need To Work Together, by Shyam Prasad
Mainali (rn), Pros
And Cons Of Coalition Politics, by Mukti
Rijal (rn), Risks
of coalition government, by Matrika Poudyal
(ae), We’ll
side with the party that takes ownership of our
demands, interview with CK Raut (ae)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
14/12/2022: Lal
commission report gathers dust as coalition
plans to free Tikapur convict : Authorities have
snubbed the top court and parliament to keep the
report secret, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rage
against impunity: Why is the ordinance to amend
National Criminal Procedure being opposed? The
government's move to introduce the ordinance to
secure release of the convicts in the heinous
crimes has met with widespread opposition across
the party lines (nlt), Why
the President is expected to shelve proposed
ordinance : Bidya Devi Bhandari could draw
support from the widespread criticism of the
recommended action (kp) [It is their duty to protect the
constitution, what she has unfortunately
repeatedly disregarded in the past!], No
provincial matter : We have to analyse the
executive powers granted to the federal units by
the constitution, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp),
LSP
reiterates willingness to join new government
(kh), Rastriya
Swatantra Party intensifies talks in a bid to
join govt (kh) [You
were elected as an alternative to the old failed
politicians and parties, not to help them stay
in power!], SC
receives writ demanding revocation of Rabi
Lamichhane’s HoR membership (kh), Investment
pledges plunge amid global economic slowdown :
Nepal received FDI assurances worth Rs11.60
billion in the first four months, according to
the Department of Industry, by Krishana
Prasain (kp), Whither
the Post-Election Nepali politics?, by
Shambhu Ram Simkhada (rep), After
their election as independent candidates,
Amaresh Singh and Prabhu Sah mulling forming a
new party (rep), Civil
society group expresses concerns over attempt by
foreign govts to influence formation of new
executive leadership (rep), Nepal’s
eminent citizens decry foreign interference in
government formation, attempt to subvert
election mandate : ‘The effort by one set of
foreign governments to influence the formation
of Nepal’s executive leadership is bound to
trigger reaction from other direction, putting
Nepal in grave danger of becoming a
geo-political football’ (nlt), Oli
meets Maoist General Secy Gurung as he tries to
break ruling alliance (rep)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
13/12/2022: Combating
violence against women in politics : We should
realise that a threat to women in politics is a
threat to our entire democracy, by Sagoon
Bhetwal (kp), November
polls fail to ensure fair representation of
Dalits : The representation of Dalit community
in the newly elected legislature—5.81 percent—
is the lowest since the 2008 Constituent
Assembly, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Government
saddles Sheetal Niwas with disputed ordinance :
Attempts to rope in new coalition partners by
pardoning convicted criminals has come under
withering criticism, even from within Nepali
Congress, by Anil Giri and Nishan Khatiwada
(kp), Govt
to recommend President Bhandari to issue Civil
Code of Criminal Procedure (First Amendment)
Ordinance-2079 BS (rep) [May political corruption never end in
Nepal!], Party
members demand immediate withdrawal of ordinance
brought to amend Civil Criminal Procedures Code
2074 BS, by Bhuwan Sharma (rep), Ordinance
on pardoning political prisoners draws flak,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Supreme
Court Bar objects to new ordinance, demands
instant withdrawal (kh), Doctored
images and out-of-context videos spread
misinformation during
Nepal elections (kh), Accusations
aplenty against foreign meddling, but no
proof on offer : Dahal has repeatedly
tried to blame foreign forces for his
own failures, but he is not the only
Nepali leader to do so, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Seeing
things : Dahal’s blaming foreigners for
his party’s poor showing makes him sound
like a sore loser (kp), Of
passports and driving licences : The new
folks in Parliament should work at
making services easily accessible to win
the next elections, by Sujeev Shakya
(kp), FIFA
misleading the world on compensation to
migrant workers, say four global rights
organisations : As the World Cup nears
end, there has been no progress in
providing compensation to injured
workers who built the stadiums in Qatar
and victims’ families (kp) [see HRW
report: FIFA
Misleading World on Remedy for Migrant
Workers : New Legacy Fund Should Be Used
to Ensure Workers’ Compensation
(12/12/2022)], 'Janmat
Party's victory reflects people's desire
for change', interview with CK Raut
(ht)
see also TV
news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
12/12/2022: Wives,
cronies and company : Old parties’ leaders have
given more ammunition to those who argue that PR
is irredeemably corrupt (kp), Gross
Misuse of PR System (rep), Assessing
the election results : Experiments with
coalition governments have been marred by
corruption scandals, by Nishchal N Pandey
(kp), Court
verdict doesn’t shield against Parliament
dissolution in all cases, interview with
Bipin Adhikari (kp), Political
parties intensify dialogue on government
formation (kh), Government
to issue ordinance to free Resham Chaudhary :
His release is the Nagarik Unmukti Party’s main
precondition for supporting the ruling coalition
(kp) [Ordinances to create
majorities capable of governing are
democratically questionable. An amnesty
does not absolve Chaudhary of possible
guilt. He is entitled to justice! Only a
court should decide on this, not
power-hungry failed politicians.],
NC
cannot bear the burden of govt’s wrong decision;
the ordinance is wrong: Gagan Thapa (kh), Ordinance was
introduced to mainstream political parties and
groups willing to discard violence: Minister
Karki (kh) [Even
you don't believe in this nonsense!], Supporters
reach jail to welcome Resham Chaudhary, by
Prasan Gurung (rep), NC
General Secretary Sharma opposes ordinance
brought to free Resham Chaudhary (kh), Can
Gagan Thapa beat Deuba in prime minister race?
Nepali Congress chief remains favourite as
immediate change in parliamentary party
leadership looks unlikely, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp), Dahal
sees foreign hand in poll debacle : Asserts
Maoist party is still kingmaker as no government
is possible without its backing, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [He has
obviously lost all sight of reality. Without the
manipulative electoral alliance, his party's
defeat would have been even more disastrous.
Possibly not even he himself would have been
elected. In the case of a grand coalition of NC
and UML, his party would no longer be needed.
But without fresh young faces, even such a
coalition makes no sense!], Thousands
of 12-23 month olds deprived of vaccines :
Experts term the situation ‘alarming’ as it
could imperil years of achievements Nepal has
made in child health, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
Amid
political transition, Nepali Army trying to
purchase 27 APCs from China opaquely (kh), Underpopulation
fears grow as fertility rate in Nepal halves in
two decades : Tendency of youths to migrate to
the Western countries is also decreasing the
working-age population in the country, by
Sajira Shrestha (rep), Parents
face hassles in birth registration of children
(rep)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning (English),
evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
11/12/2022: Government
continues to ignore rights body’s
recommendations : Data show only 15.3 percent of
the recommendations have been fully implemented
(kp) [This reflects the
human rights situation in Nepal. Misinformed
international diplomats should finally stop
praising the implementation of human rights in
Nepal up to the sky!], Parties
pick PR candidates amid cries of unfairness :
The proportional representation system, which
was meant to ensure representation of
marginalised groups, has been hijacked, say
political analysts, by Tika R Pradhan and
Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Rabi
Lamichhane’s RSP willing to join govt,
discussions underway on agendas (kh) [You can't steer the
political system in the right direction by
supporting the repeatedly failed politicians in
their power ambitions, whatever conditions you
set. For this the people have not elected you!
Only a change of personnel to a younger
generation at the top of the major parties could
justify participation!], 'Parties
need to learn culture of coalition', based
on taks with Uddhab Pyakurel (ht), Govt
introduces ordinance to grant amnesty to Resham
Chaudhary (kh)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning (English),
evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
10/12/2022: Nagarik
Unmukti Party sets condition to join government
(kh), JSP
open to joining government, and ruling coalition
is positive : Chemjong, a Janata Samajbadi
leader, says talks are underway and formal
discussion on next move will commence after PR
lawmakers are decided, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp) [????], Petition
demands removal of polygamous PR candidates :
Lawyer registers a writ petition at the Supreme
Court after appealing the Election Commission
that candidates practising polygamy be denied
election (kp)
see also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
09/12/2022: They
are back again in the House! : Oh, no, not again,
by Bishwo Gauchan (ht), Janamat
Party sending 5 members to HoR (kh), UML
trying every trick in the book to break
five-party bond : In public, its leaders say
they’ll sit happily on opposition bench with
NC-led coalition not expected to last long,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), NC
leader Gachchhadar bats for NC-UML alliance to
form new govt (rep) [The CPN (UML) should be untouchable for
democratic parties as long as it holds on to a
coup leader!], What
led to Unified Socialist’s debacle? Observers
had warned that for the outfit, earning national
party status through polls was easier said than
done, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Relevance
of federalism over: Biplav. “Political
parties’ legitimacy has ended” (kh)
[The legitimacy
of militant parties has never existed!
Federalism is important in a
multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and
non-inclusive state like Nepal. But you
are right about one thing: the
established political parties refuse to
implement the federal system and insist
on centralised control of all three
political levels!], Diplomats
curious who’ll be President : PMs come
and go but the President stays for full
five years and often plays political
roles, ny Purushottam Poudel (kp) [The
office of president is
representative in
nature. The President
must pay particular
attention to the
preservation of
constitutional rules.
This is exactly what
Bidya Bhandari has
repeatedly violated!],
Rana’s
failed coup : Extreme
caution is needed while
appointing the next
Supreme Court leader
(kp), SC
directs not to implement
Parliament Secretariat’s
letter offering
acquittal to CJ Rana
(kh), Struggle
For Gender Equality,
by Yug Bahadur (rn), Nagarik
Unmukti Party puts
Resham Chaudhary’s
release as pre-condition
to join govt (kh), Women
should not be
denied legal
rights: CEC
Thapaliya
(kh) [But they
are. The
participation in
the electoral
system and the
treatment of
women by the
political
parties and
their macho
leaders are
prime examples!],
Seats
of power :
Nepal’s
political
parties
negotiate
power-sharing
deals to form a
government,
by Shristi Karki
(nt), Perpetual
Instability,
by Tilak Rawal
(sp), Uncertain
Course : Despite
getting a thin
majority, it is
yet to clarify
whether the
Nepali Congress
led-coalition
continue till
the formation of
the new
government
(sp), “Nepali
People Have Lost
Interest In The
Existing Major
Parties”,
interview with SD
Muni (sp), Election
Musings : That
the people
should elect a
Head of State
with executive
powers has been
voiced by many
young Nepalis
contesting the
elections,
by Hemang Dixit
(sp)
see
also TV news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
08/12/2022: Janamat
Party decides to join ruling coalition to form
new government (kh), Online
media suffered hostility during election: FNJ
Chair Pokhrel (kh), Impeachment
motion annulment fans suspicions :
Ruling coalition partners suspect that
the Parliament Secretariat acted at the
CPN-UML’s behest, by Anil Giri (kp),
As
climate crisis worsens, people in the
mountains are opting for concrete
structures : The traditional
mud-and-stone houses are no longer
effective against bouts of rainfall and
droughts, forcing locals to look for
options, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Neighbours
have been snubbing Nepal’s diplomatic
notes : Nepal’s concerns over disputed
Indian map, deaths of two Nepalis in
Darchula and India-China agreement on
trade route through Lipulekh have gone
unanswered, by Purushottam Poudel
(kp), Pension
and populism : The parties must rethink
how long they can go on emptying the
state coffers through cash handouts
(kp), “Conversations
and advocacy for women’s rights should
go beyond 16 days. This should be an
everyday conversation”, interview
with Mona Sherpa (rep), Ganging
up against Gagan Thapa : Sixteen days
after winning the parliamentary
elections, Gagan Thapa is facing hurdles
within and outside the party on his
journey to becoming a parliamentary
party leader and future PM (nlt) [The old failed
leaders will never change! They had
their chance, but they repeatedly failed
to take it. Why on earth should they try
again?], Power
of red flag is fading in Nepal, by
Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Gagan
Thapa’s premiership bid, by Kamal
Dev Bhattarai (ae)
see also TV
news: Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali); AP1 (morning)
(evening);
Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
07/12/2022: Ruling
alliance two seats shy of majority : At the end
of proportional representation vote counting,
the five-party alliance has 136 seats against
the 138 required to prove a majority in the
275-strong House, by Binod Ghimire (kp) Good
governance is the need of the hour :
Unemployment, inflation, expensive healthcare
services and costlier education are the major
challenges Nepali people are dealing with on a
daily basis, by Jivesh Jha (nlt), Nepal’s
chief justice, suspended for months, prepares to
return to Supreme Court : Six days before his
retirement, suspended Chief Justice Cholendra
Rana is returning to Supreme Court (nlt), Nepal’s
judiciary debacle: Escalation of tensions feared
as the bar ups the ante against Chief Justice :
Nepal Bar Association has staged protests to
prevent the chief justice from entering the
Supreme Court questioning the legality of
parliament secretariat’s letter which declared
the impeachment motion against CJ ineffective
(nlt), NBA
hold emergency meeting after suspended CJ Rana
prepares to go to SC (kh), Only
the parliament can decide CJ’s impeachment
proposal: Shambhu Thapa (kh), NBA
lawyers stage sit-in at SC’s gate to bar
suspended CJ Rana from entering (kh), Police
officials order not to allow suspended CR Rana
at SC unless getting further order (kh), SC receives writ
demanding not to implement Parliament
Secretariat’s letter (kh), Repercussions
of remittance economy : The advantages of
remittance inflow into poor countries such as
Nepal are too obvious to miss, by CK Lal
(kp), Perpetuating
the Sukumbasi Problem, by Sarans Pandey
(rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
06/12/2022: Rightist
tilt in Nepal : History shows that politics
devoid of philosophical underpinnings last only
a season, by Achyut Wagle (kp), The
mad rush for power could destabilise politics :
All big and small parties are negotiating to
join government. Seemingly, no one wants to stay
in the opposition, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp)
Maoist-Center
hell bent on perpetuating power, election
results be damned : Here is a brief commentary
on the fall and fall of CPN (Maoist-Center), a
political party that used to claim itself as the
most revolutionary force in Nepal until a decade
ago, by Kishor Dahal (nlt), Four
ruling parties agree to continue partnership :
Discussions over government formation will be
held once the Election Commission presents poll
results to the President, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp) [As a minority
government? In any case, a radical generational
change and a socially appropriate composition of
the government is required!], Squatters
in Kathmandu call for alternative settlement
(kh), Shah’s
shoot-from-the-hip approach
missing its mark : Of late, the
KMC has had to backtrack on
several of its key measures,
most recently on Thapathali
squatter settlement, by Anup
Ojha (kp)
,Government
formation in Province 1 gets complex as
JSP leaves alliance : Janata Samajbadi
chair Uprendra Yadav has said that his
party is no longer with the UML-led
alliance, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp), Race Begins For New PM,
by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Future
course of Nepali politics: Heading
towards yet another cycle of instability,
by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), The
last dance of the old guards : With the
recent drive of youth sensation in
leadership, public sentiment seems to
have shifted more towards the younger
generation of politicians and new faces,
by Nabin Kafle (nlt), Resham
Chaudhary’s party to abstain govt unless
its demands are addressed (kh)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
05/12/2022: Parties’
pledges weighing down national economy : They
keep offering all kinds of freebies without
taking into account country’s paltry resources
and mounting debt, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), FPTP:
NC wins 57 seats; UML 44 (kh), List
of newly-elected HoR members (kh), In
a volte-face, Maoists renew vow to
continue with Congress alliance : With
UML tipped to back a Congress government
without being part of it, Maoist Centre
leaders fear being kept out, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp), ‘Parties
slowly realising the need for periodic
leadership change’, interview with
lawmaker-elect from CPN (Maoist Centre),
Rekha Sharma, on what it took her to beat
an established leader, UML general
secretary Shankar Pokhrel (kp) [But they still don't
seem to have realised it, if you look at
the current power negotiations!],
New
government expected in 2 weeks :
Election Commission plans to submit the
election report to President Bidya Devi
Bhandari early next week, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), RSP’s
things-to-do list is a bridge too far,
economists say : The party has said it
wants to bring revolutionary change in
Nepal’s economy, but it is confused
about how that is going to happen,
by Pawan Pandey (kp) [As an important opposition force,
they will have time to work out
solutions. After all, they are still a
very young party!], A
comprehensive overview on prospects of
growth and development in Nepal : How
can Nepal formulate a realistic yet
inspirational economic plan for the next
five years to grow Nepal’s economy and
create job opportunities for Nepali
youths?, by Sameer Khatiwada (nlt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
04/12/2022: Instability
built into the composition of federal House :
With the ruling coalition dependent on small
parties, next 5 years could see making and
unmaking of governments, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Maoist
and Madhesh-based parties see steep decline in
electoral politics : The parties that emerged as
major political forces from the 2006 people’s
movement are now losing their appeal, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Maoists
keep their options open on new government :
Decision perceived as a pressure tactic to
compel Congress to make Dahal PM, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [A party
that owes at least part of its mandates to the
fact that the alliance partners in these
constituencies did not put forward their own
candidates and instead asked their electorate to
vote for the joint candidate from the ranks of
the CPN (MC) cannot simply switch camps after
the elections. That would be voter fraud, highly
criminal and deprive Nepal's democratic system
of any credibility!], Maoist
Center decides to seek consensus within ruling
coalition : Dev Gurung says, no talk about
coalition with UML (kh), Remnants
of conflict continue to affect children in
Karnali: Report (kh), Transitional
justice in Nepal: Child safety is still an issue
in Karnali district (nlt), Conflict
in Lamichhane’s RSP; 47 district members demand
Makawanpur Chair’s resignation (kh), Indian
envoy meets Deuba, second time in a week : Amid
discussions on new government formation, foreign
interest in who’ll be the PM is on the rise
(kp) [Intervention?],
The
misery of migrant workers : Our workers are
needlessly losing lives in Qatar due to
dehumanising working conditions, by Sakun
Gajurel (kp), Left
Alliance Remains Elusive, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn) [Oli's policy in
2020/21 was that of a repeat coup plotter. Such
politicians should be untouchable for all time
to come!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
03/12/2022: Only
115 local level units institute GBV
Elimination Fund (kh), What’s
the mandate of Nov 20 polls? The message
from voters is that the traditional
parties should reform or they will
perish, by Purushottam Poudel (kp),
Unpacking
CK Raut’s win over Upendra Yadav :
Raut’s personal touch with voters and
Yadav’s overreliance on caste votes are
key factors. JSP blames foreign hand,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Ruling
alliance mulls ‘package deal’ on major
portfolios : Leaders say they are
waiting for final results of the
elections (kp), Patronizing
Sovereign Dignity of Nepal, by GP
Acharya (rep), Changing
Electoral Landscape, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
02/12/2022: Exclusionary
parliament : Major parties are running out of
excuses to deny election tickets to marginalised
(kp), Systematically
Disenfranchised!, by Nishant Pokharel (rep),
Govt
formation: Leaders intensify meetings (kh),
Dahal
wants to be prime minister. Does he stand a
chance? The Maoist supremo is trying to cash in
on internal conflict in the Congress and to
leverage his position as kingmaker, by Anil
Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Please none of the old failed top
politicians! Dahal is one of the continuous
losers after 2008. Why should he become PM for a
third time?], Migration
turning hill villages into ghost towns :
Villages in Ramechhap, Dhankuta lie abandoned
and fields fallow with residents leaving in
search of greener pastures, by Tika
Prasad Bhatta and Ramesh Chandra Adhikari (kp) [Nepal needs a government
that is finally serious about domestic job
creation!], Lawmaker-elects
trying to act as executives even before
swearing-in : Experts on parliamentary affairs
say the elected representatives should instead
focus on how to perform their roles in the House
effectively, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Dhangadhi
tense following girl's death, students protest
violating prohibitory orders, by Dil Bahadur
Chhatyal (rep), Police
choose firing after demonstrators invade
prohibited area in Dhangadhi (kh), Ruling
coalition will form both the federal and
province governments: Dr. Shashank Koirala
(kh) [Nepal is a federal
state and in such a state, provincial
governments should be decided by the politicians
there and not by central party leaders!],
Janamat
Party and LSP ready to form alliance for
coalition government, by Bhuwan Sharma
(rep), ‘RSP
should not join the govt’ (rep), Expectation
From New Government, by Yug Bahadur (rn), New
government unlikely this year, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Feudal
federalism : Federalism has become an ‘F’ word
because Nepal’s politicians are reluctant to
devolve power to provinces (nt), The
past is foretold in Nepal poll results :
Although the arithmetic shows big parties
dominate, Nepalis have sent them a clear message
of dissatisfaction, by Shristi Karki (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
01/12/2022: Dalit
and women leaders in Karnali feel cheated : Big
parties did not field any Dalit candidate for
Parliament from Karnali Province, by Krishna
Prasad Gautam (kp), Can
the Swatantra Party answer the bell? Lack of
clear political line, loose organisation and
fuzzy ideas on pressing national issues could be
big hindrances, by Purushottam Poudel and
Nishan Khatiwada (kp), New
kid in town : We do not know if RSP is
independent of political dogma or a party of the
independent-minded, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Congress
reaches out to Janamat Party chief Raut to
discuss new government : Raut held hour-long
talks with Bimalendra Nidhi in Kathmandu
(kp), Janamat
Party agrees to join ruling coalition
with NC (kh), Janmat
Party sets three conditions to join
NC-led coalition (kh)
[??], Amid
din of government formation, will the CPN-UML
remain silent? Party members say multiple
options are open including tying up with the
Maoists or the Congress for a ruling coalition,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Act
two, scene one : The same old men will begin
fighting for the chair if the youth leaders
don't intervene (kp), Deuba’s
moment to shine : The debate on who should lead
the next government has become a matter of
public interest, by Siddhartha Thapa (kp) [He was PM five times and did
not shine. So now presumably a sixth time,
although the voters have denied the ruling
coalition a majority?], Nov
20 Election: Old parties face sink or swim
situation, new ones need ideological clarity
(kh), Looking
for a better and sustainable alternative to
grants and loans? Go for FDI : FDI can stimulate
a target country’s economic development and
create a more conducive environment for
companies, the investors, and stimulate the
local economy, by Anmol Purbey (nlt), Nov
20 polls: Where Do We Go From Here?, by
Sindhuj Thapa and Anmol Purbey (rep), The
geopolitical factor in the government formation,
by Bam Dev Bhattarai and Shambhu Kattel (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
30/11/2022: New
House of Representatives to be less inclusive :
As proportional representation votes are
scattered among parties, women, Dalits,
Janajatis will be underrepresented, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [This is
the outspoken goal of the political parties
totally dominated by male Khas Arya! The fact
that another 30 per cent Khas Aryas are
nominated via the PR system contradicts all
statements on inclusion!], Call
for year-round advocacy on gender-based violence
: Globally, it is estimated that one in three
women experience physical or sexual abuse in
their lifetime, according to the United Nations
Population Fund (kp), Rattle
your walls : There could be no better advocates
for an end to GBV than the new cohort of young
parliamentarians (kp), Doti
earthquake victims languish in tents : Six
people died, seven injured and hundreds were
displaced in the November 8 quake, by Mohan
Shahi (kp), Two
new forces enter federal parliament as national
parties : Rabi Lamichhane’s Rastriya Swatantra
Party and CK Raut’s Janamat Party make the cut
after the election results pour in, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Activating
intergovernmental bodies : The more active these
organisations are, the stronger Nepal's federal
system will be, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Worth
the investment? Failure to maintain financial
transparency in political parties allows for the
criminalisation of politics, by Shristi Rai
(kp), Indecisive
election results: Now the battle for new
government : Nepal's federal parliament
constitutes 275 members of parliament. As many
as 138 lawmakers are necessary to establish a
majority and claim the premiership. So who will
lead Nepal’s next government?, by Dhan
Bahadur Khadka (nlt) [In
democratic states, now would be the moment for
politicians to admit defeat, retire from office
and ambitions for power, and make way for a
younger generation! But Nepal's failed
politicians have already started thinking about
how to form a new government without a
parliamentary majority.]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
29/11/2022: Ambition
of politicians and the will of voters : Attempt
of a first election analysis, by Karl-Heinz
Krämer (kh), Maoist
rank and file prefer left alliance, not so their
chair : Dahal reportedly wants to give
continuity to the current coalition with the
Congress to clear his way to PM’s post, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [A
left alliance would be far from a necessary
majority, but even the mandates of the current
government alliance will probably not be enough!],
Leaders
in talks for new coalition with several eyeing
prime minister’s post : Results so far suggest
neither the ruling coalition nor UML partners
will win a simple majority in Parliament, by
Anil Giri (kp), Message
from Nepali voters : This time, there were
thousands who joined the fray with little
resources or connections, by Sujeev Shakya
(kp), Parties
flouted laws, used children in elections,
by Ruby Rainiyar (rep),
Crystal
gazing Nepal’s next five years : The
independents contested the election to clean up
the country’s politics and fight corruption,
by Naresh Koirala (kp), Let
the provinces do their job : Reluctance to
strengthen the provinces is, in a way, a
repudiation of the federal system (kp), Thapathali
squatters thwart another eviction : Kathmandu
Metropolitan City met with stiff resistance as
it tried to tear down Bagmati riverside squatter
huts, by Anup Ojha and Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp) [Responsible policy
looks different!], Landless
squatters protest outside KMC office (rep),
KMC
accused of demolishing landless squatters'
settlement without making alternative
arrangement (rep), Solve
Problem Of Landless Squatters, by Uttam
Maharjan (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 (morning)
(evening)
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
28/11/2022: Youth
voice: What youths expect from faces of hope in
parliament, by Sharana Sherpa and Anjali
Shukla (nlt), On
their own merit : If talent is discouraged in
political parties, those committed to public
service will seek alternatives (kp), Old
parties failed to understand the new generation
: The political template of Congress and
Communists are decades old. Closed camps and
cadre training don't work so well in the age of
social media, interview with Krishna Khanal
(kp), Over
60 former MPs face defeat in parliamentary
election (rep), Is
communist alliance in the making? Poor
performance of CPN (Maoist Center) in federal
parliament polls and desperation of KP Oli and
CPN-UML leaders to return to power indicate the
possibility. But observers are not so sure
(nlt), Women
representation nil under FPTP in Karnali
province : Single candidate to represent Dalits
(kh), Economic
promises and challenges : None of the manifestos
explains how to mobilise resources and enhance
administration, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Nepali
Congress-led alliance likely to form governments
in all seven provinces : UML leads FPTP tally in
3 provinces, Congress ahead in 4, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp) [These
centrist politicians simply do not want to
understand that in a federal state, the
provinces have to decide on their respective
governments!], Exploitation
fears as more contractors become lawmakers :
Stakeholders say contractor-turned lawmakers
could misuse their influence to skew laws and
policies in their favour, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp) [Teachers
and other people in the public service are not
allowed to run, but people who have a great
economic advantage from their election are!],
Squatters
clash with police in Thapathali
(kh), Thapathali
squatters attack City Police; 21 injured,
by Manish Aryal (nlt), Thapathali
slum area turns tense over removal of
slum dwellers (Photo Feature) , by
Bijaya Rai (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
27/11/2022: Contours
of post-election politics : Democracy seems to
have become stronger with the popular quest for
alternatives, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), The
ambition of politicians and the will of
voters : Attempt of a first election
analysis, by Karl-Heinz Krämer
(Nepal Observer),
Voters
reject candidates favoured by top leaders : The
trend reflects people’s growing frustration with
the top brass and how the political parties are
run, analysts say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Ruling
alliance fails to stop UML : Dissimilar
ideologies of the parties in the coalition seems
to have not favoured them, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp), Maoists
had difficulties winning elections even in their
bastions, by Dinesh Subedi (rep), Deuba,
Dahal commit to saving the alliance : KP Sharma
Oli has also been reaching out to other parties
to build a coalition he can lead, by Anil
Giri (kp) [The message
from the voters is clear: Not these old failed
politicians again! Without the manipulations of
the top politicians, this message would have
been much clearer!], Controlling
fiduciary risks in public finance : Fiduciary
risks are heightened when public finances are
not used for intended purpose, by Gopi K
Khanal (kp), 16
Days of Activism: Why women must speak up
equality : Why does almost half of the
population have to suffer in silence? Why does
half of the population have to be confined to
kitchens, within the four walls of their houses?,
by Shreena Nepal (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
26/11/2022: Remarkable
Electoral Shifts, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Caste-based
voting on the wane in Madhesh, poll results
suggest : As society becomes more diverse, the
province has started to look more at candidates’
vision than their ethnicity, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), 19
incumbent ministers face defeat in HoR and
provincial assembly elections this general
election (rep), High
cost of smartphones a barrier to digital
inclusion, report says : Smartphones and
barphones are taxed 18 percent and 15.5 percent
respectively in Nepal, by Krishana Prasain
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
25/11/2022: Acting
together to end gender-based violence : Crimes
against women and girls have increased in Nepal,
with 21,568 cases reported between July 2021 to
July 2022 (kp), Oli
reaches out to Dahal as jockeying begins to
cobble together a coalition : Some Maoist
leaders say their alliance with Congress was
counterproductive, and the party should have a
rethink, by Anil Giri (kp) [Panic among the failed
politicians who still do not want to understand
that this election heralds their political end!],
Oli
tries to woo Dahal to break ruling alliance as
Deuba prepares to form a new govt (rep) [Most likely, neither the
current coalition government nor the UML/MC
combination will have enough MPs to form a new
government!], RSP,
new kid on the block, chimes with voters : Wins
five parliamentary seats in valley, placed 3rd
in PR vote count, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), The
underdogs have won. Now what? The next five
years will be crucial, not just for the newer
parties, but also for the older lot, by
Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Women
participation in HoR: Seven get directly
elected, two still leading (kh) [Besides 158 males: this is
what the patriarchal party leaders call
appropriate and "inclusive"!], Women
candidates in HoR and PA elections of 2079 BS,
by Smriti Dhungana (rep), Lingden
lifts Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s
status in the House : On Thursday
evening, the party’s share of
proportional representation votes was 7
percent, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The improvement of
the RPP must also be attributed
primarily to the bad policies and
largely failed manipulations of the
erstwhile major parties. The probably 6
or 7 per cent share in the PR vote shows
that people do not really want a return
to Hindu state and monarchy!], Expat
push key to Swatantra Party’s electoral
success : Migrant workers and students
studying abroad had urged their family
members back in Nepal to cast their
votes in favour of RSP this election,
by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Nepal
still red-flagged due to aviation body’s
rigidity : European Commission says no
grounds for revising the list of
carriers, including Nepal’s, barred from
serving the EU, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), Government
inaction makes life miserable in two
flood-prone Banke villages : Residents
of Chaupheri and Ramnagar of Duduwa
Rural Municipality face inundation and
floods every monsoon, by J Pandey
(kp), Extending
Social Protection For All, by Lok
Nath Bhusal (rn), Post-poll
Challenges Galore, by Yug Bahadur
(rn), Vox
Populi : The people have
spoken: they do not want
business as usual in
politics (nt), The
Nepali people have
spoken : Voters have
made their
dissatisfaction with the
country’s serial
politicians clear: shape
up or ship out, by
Sonia Awale (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
24/11/2022: Times
they’re changing : The rise of the Rastriya
Swatantra Party reflects the passion for change
among Nepali voters (kp), The
scrutiny of incoming Swatantra Party lawmakers
has already begun : While some find party’s lack
of clear ideology troubling, others reckon its
ranks of field experts will serve well, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), In
Madhesh, political ground is shifting : Fourteen
years after the Madhesh movement, voters have
punished its major faces in the recent polls,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), CK
Raut’s Janamat Party emerges as a strong
regional force : His victory surprised many as
his party’s performance during the May local
elections had been dismal, Abdhesh Kumar
Jha & Santosh Singh (kp), Is
new troika in the making in Congress? Many find
the prospect of Gagan Thapa, Bishwa Prakash
Sharma and Pradip Paudel joining hands
fascinating, by Anil Giri (kp) [It would be a welcome and
long overdue change, but social inclusion would
still be lacking!], Rise
of rebels, fall of ‘yes-men’ : General
secretaries of CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist lost the
elections while the general secretaries duo of
Nepali Congress won the race, by Dhan
Bahadur Khadka (nlt), Nepal
reviewing import ban after IMF prodding : The
global lender says Nepal should take other
monetary measures to deal with its foreign
exchange reserve issue, by Krishana Prasain
(kp), Promoting
gender-responsive trade : Gender-inclusive trade
can have a multiplier effect on women, their
families and also the GDP of a nation, by
Sagar Jung Karki (kp), Stability
For Sustainable Development, by Bishnu
Prasad Khanal (rn), Defining
Contours Of Democracy, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
Polling
for Nepal's parliament 2022: Ballot box or
cyber-voting?, by Anand Aditya (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
23/11/2022: Validation
of the existing order : Voters have validated
the status quo with their participation as well
as abstention, by CK Lal (kp), A
eulogy to unfact : During election campaigns,
when truth is reduced to pithy slogans, facts
are far from simple errors of details, by
Dharma Adhikari (kp), Nepalis
Vote For A Change, by Namrata Sharma (rn), Poor
transfer of Congress votes weighing down
coalition partners : Congress voters seemed
reluctant to back other coalition candidates.
But they voted for the UML in some places,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Disaster-prone
schools put students’ lives at risk : Around 122
schools in Bajhang are at high risk of natural
disasters. More than 24,400 children study
there, according to the district office, by
Basanta Pratap Singh (kp) [Neglect of far western Nepal continues
thanks to centrist political leaders!], Leaving
on a jet plane : If things continue as usual,
the stream of people’s exodus could soon turn
into a deluge (kp), Check
Conflict Of Interest In Public Sector, by
Shyam Prasad Masinali (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
22/11/2022: Shape
up or ship out : The major political forces must
start the long process of their renewal right
now. They have been adequately warned (kp),
The
mavericks are coming : The parties should get
the message that the Nepali people are getting
tired of their ways, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Could
the rise of Rastriya Swatantra Party boost
anti-federal forces? Rabi Lamichhane and Balen
Shah deliberately skipped voting for provincial
candidates, to the delight of federalism
sceptics, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Extreme centralism is one of
the basic political evils of Nepali history and
has contributed to social and regional
inequality. Federalism could be a remedy, if it
were finally implemented.], People
aspire to see new face in leadership: Gagan
Thapa (rn), Challenges
before the new government: Seemingly complex but
actually simple, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
21/21/2022: Around
61 percent cast votes in largely peaceful polls
: Disputes and incidents of violence were
reported in some places, with one death and
several injuries. Repolling required in 15
centres across provinces, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp) ["Peaceful" looks
different!], Polling
marred by incidents of violence in some
districts : Police fire warning shots at some
stations to disperse crowds. One person died
from bullet wounds while 3, including a
policeman, got injured in Bajura, by Arjun
Shah (kp), Frustration
with old guard cited as main reason for
relatively low turnout : Without independent
candidates and new parties, the voter turnout
would have been lower still, observers say,
by Nishan Khatiwada and Anup Ojha (kp), High
inflation and unemployment are forcing youths to
seek foreign jobs : In the fiscal year 2021-022,
every day 1,745 Nepalis on average left the
country for foreign employment, by Arjun
Poudel (kp) [And no idea
on the part of the old failed politicians how
jobs can be created in the country!], When
Nepal stops : Government service delivery comes
to a halt during elections. The cost is evident
all around (kp) [The
way in which elections are organised is
irrational and in many respects represents a
serious restriction of basic civil rights!],
Heavy
security presence at polling centres perplexes
tourists, by Bal Krishna Sah (ht), ‘Back-to-back
elections also led to low voter turnout :
‘People say why give the same old parties
another chance when they have failed to perform,
repeatedly’, interview with Sanjeev Humagain
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
20/11/2022: Unequal
votes: The undemocratic election system of Nepal
: Having population as the criterion for
electoral constituency delineation will not do
any justice to the actual constituents. The
number of voters should be the main basis for
constituency delineation, by Sindhuj Thapa
(nlt), Rampant
use of minors in election campaigning reported :
Authorised monitoring teams have reported as
many as 165 incidents of use of minors in
poll-related activities, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Thousands
of eligible citizens outside constituencies
denied voting rights : The election commission
should have come up with an arrangement to allow
eligible voters based anywhere within the
country to vote, experts say (kp), Winds
of change as country is geared to vote (kp),
How
is Nepal voting? Know about Nepal’s federal and
provincial assembly elections (nlt), What
sets this election apart : The country goes to
polls amid rising frustration, decline of
ideology and advent of some promising new forces,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Day
of voters’ freedom : Voters know that lust for
power and position dominates the atmosphere of
democratic politics, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Earthquake
victims in Far West languish in temporary
shelters : Hundreds in Doti and Bajhang have
been awaiting resettlement to safer places,
by Basanta Pratap Singh and Mohan Shahi (kp) [Assistance denied by
government and administration!], Market
prices rocket while officials busy themselves
with election : Consumer activists and
economists say that the recent increase in
prices is the result of lack of market
inspection, by Krishana Prasain (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), election
insights (English), evening
(Nepali), AP1 and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
19/11/2022: Inclusion
and reservation: Experiences from other
countries, remedies for Nepal : The simple fact
that political parties are neglecting potential
candidates from Dalit and Janajati communities
and women is an indicator that the country needs
even stronger quota provisions for them, by
Simone Galimberti (nlt), Lack
of citizenship robs youths of voting rights :
The state has discriminated against the children
of those who acquired citizenship by birth, say
civil society leaders, by Bhusan Yadav and
Laxmi Sah (kp) [The
highest responsibility lies with Ms Bhandari.
Whatever the president says, she had to sign the
amendment recently, according to the
constitution. Was it obeisance to KP Oli because
he feared dissenting votes from the youth in the
Tarai for his conduct in the 2015/16 Tarai
movement?], Rise
of young, independent candidates a worrying sign
for ageing political leaders, by Santosh
Sharma Poudel (rep), The
right and responsibility to vote : Every vote
matters and those who are eligible to vote,
experts advise, should not squander the
opportunity, by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Government
geared to address security threats during
election : Home Secretary Binod Prakash Singh
said district administration offices have seized
2,025 small arms to minimise the security threat,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), 30
media outlets violate code of conduct: PCN
(kh), Suspicious
objects being planted to spread panic (kh),
Balancing
Liberty And Social Order, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
18/11/2022: Calls
grow for NHRC office bearers to quit : After
global body’s decision to downgrade the status
of the National Human Rights Commission, its
chair says his team will make their response
public very soon, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [And what about the PM applicant
who is responsible for the whole mess?],
Squatters
protest in Kathmandu against ultimatum to vacate
their settlement : As many as 34,096 families
are residing on the banks of Bagmati currently,
according to government data (kp), “No
Not Again”: What Nepalis need to be
aware of?, by Diwakar Dhakal (rep),
Everything
you need to know about the controversial
Constituency Development Fund (nlt) [A fund exclusively for
directly elected MPs who were previously
nominated in an extremely socially non-inclusive
way by the high-caste leadership of the parties!],
Country
goes to polls in a relatively safe environment :
Some two dozen small groups have announced
election boycott but they reportedly pose no big
threat, by Anil Giri (kp), Vote
wisely : Those voting in the upcoming elections
will have a big responsibility on their
shoulders (kp), Govt
decides to increase surveillance on Biplav-led
NCP : Nepal Army's bomb disposal team at 900
locations (kh), Closure
of Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border puts Nepali traders
on the edge of bankruptcy : The border point has
been shut down for the past thirty-four months
despite several pledges made by authorities in
Kathmandu and Beijing to open it, by Balaram
Ghimire (kp), Workers
want Qatar, FIFA to pay for abuses (ht), Caste Vote : Even
more than in previous elections political
parties are falling back on caste vote banks
because of the absence of party ideology, by
Chandra Kishore (nt), Voters
cynical about electoral alliances : Party ties
for the 20 November polls confuse and divide
citizens across the Inner Tarai and Madhes
Province, by Namrata Sharma (nt), Dejected
voters reject polls : Fed up with empty
assurances and wild promises, villagers decide
to collectively boycott Sunday's elections,
by Anita Bhetwal (nt), Depending
on independents : Urban voters are disenchanted
with traditional politics, but established
parties still hold sway in districts, by
Shristi Karki (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
17/11/2022: Democracy
beyond elections : Without adequate
representation, marginalised communities in
Nepal are less likely to have their issues
addressed, by Narayan Adhikari and Nicholas
Budny (kp), Voter
frustration with major parties growing : Some
observers equate the current state of public
dissatisfaction to that which existed before the
April 2006 movement, by Tika R Pradhan and
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Consumer
inflation hits 8.50 percent: NRB (kh), Two
injured in IED explosion in Banke (rep), Treatment
of Chand-led party cadres injured in bomb blast
under police supervision (rep), Party
Positions Vis-à-vis Manifestos, by Mukti
Rijal (rn ), Nov
20 Election: Stability of system and country’s
development awaited (kh) [How is that supposed to work
when once again it is predominantly the
repeatedly failed politicians with their
eternally identical slogans who are standing for
election?], Conflict
victims find no hope in election : There is a
widespread resentment and anger among conflict
victims and survivors against the political
parties, by Yadab Acharya (ae), Politics
in remaking, by Chandra Dev Bhatta (ae), How
will people with disabilities vote? The Election
Commission seems to have a ‘something is better
than nothing’ approach to inclusiveness. It’s
preparations are too little, too late, by
Cilla Khatry (ae), Women
struggle to find a solid footing in the
parliament, by Anushka Nepal (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
16/11/2022: Election
2022: Some old lies, some new. Alliances have
nothing to do with long-held party policies,
good governance, economic delivery, foreign
policy or national interests, by Balmukunda
Regmi (kp), Rabi
Lamichhane alleges “elements” of trying to
defame and demoralize him (kh), Complaint
demands annulment of Rabi Lamichhane’s candidacy
: The complaint filed at the district election
office in Chitwan states that Lamichhane did not
relinquish his Nepali citizenship even after
taking the citizenship certificate of another
country (kp), Election
not a priority for migrant workers from Jumla :
A majority of young men from Sinja are currently
working in various Indian cities and are not
coming home for next week’s elections, by DB
Budha (kp) [Both the Oli
and Deuba governments deliberately failed to
provide postal voting to migrant workers as
mandated by the SC years ago!], Leave
no one out : Unless Nepalis abroad renounce
their citizenship, they should get to take part
in the democratic exercise (kp), Citizenship
bill was against the nation, President
used veto: President’s office (kh) [Her initial veto was
okay, but on the second presentation of
the bill, she should have signed it as
required by the Constitution. She signed
several of Oli's unconstitutional bills
without thinking!And that was not
against the nation? Ties to her
political party are obvious, although
the President is supposed to act in a
non-partisan manner!], The
generation Gagan : Why people of all
walks want Nepali Congress politician
Gagan Thapa to win November 20 election?
(nlt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
15/11/2022: Court
orders Election Commission not to remove names
of LGBTIQ+ from the PR list (nlt), Deprived
and repeatedly duped, Musahars are losing faith
in state : The residents of Musahari tole in
Dhanusha say party leaders come seeking their
votes before every election, but forget about
them as soon as they get elected, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Gagan
Thapa portrays himself as future PM, by
Sunita Bhul (kh), Apex
court seeks reasons after petitions
against Dahal rejected : The petitioners
have demanded action against Chairman
Dahal saying that he, speaking at a
public function on January 15, 2020, had
admitted to having taken responsibility
for the death of 5,000 people among the
around 17,000 who lost their lives
during the decade-long insurgency
(kp 15/11/2022)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
14/11/2022: As
you celebrate World Cup, think of this too :
About 6,500 South Asian migrant workers from
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
have perished since 2010 in the Gulf state and
1,641 were from Nepal, by Susmita Lamsal
(nlt), ‘No
local people in political leadership is
misfortune for Kathmandu rim country’ (kh),
No
takers as coalition promises political stability
: Maoist Centre chair Dahal, a key coalition
partner, publicly boasts of having played a key
role in forming and toppling governments, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), SC
retains Dr. Toshima Karki’s candidacy in
Lalitpur-3 (kh), NHRC's
status downgraded, credibility at stake : Former
members seek resignation of the national human
rights body chairman, members (ht), General
election : Hope of transformation, by Ashok
Kumar Khand (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
13/11/2022: Women’s
share in House likely to shrink : With few women
FPTP candidates, more of them may need to be
elected to the upper house to meet the
requirement, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The continued and even
increased non-inclusive policies of high-caste
male politicians must be criminalised and
punished as a matter of urgency!], Unnatural
electoral tie-ups : The ultimate price is paid
by the confused voter, who cannot put two and
two together, by Paban Raj Pandey (kp), Words,
words, mere words : Election manifestos of the
major political parties make promises impossible
to keep, targets impossible to meet and the
goals impossible to achieve (nlt), Political
parties repeat ‘inflated promises’ in their
election manifestos to lure voters (rep), Election
Manifestos and Reformation of Government and
Electoral System, by Rajendra Bahadur Singh
(rep), Fighting
disinformation together : Election
preparations enter a crucial stage, when
bad actors may resort to disinformation
and misinformation, by Dinesh Kumar
Thapaliya (kp) [Self-justification
of the Chief Election Commissioner, but
not a word about the serious fake news
and fairy tales of the political
parties!], Voters
with disabilities want to exercise right
to vote on their own (rn), Election
agenda of independent candidates:
Corruption control, development and
change, by Narayan Adhikari (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
12/11/2022: Fair
Polls Enhance Freedom Of Choice, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn), Call
to ensure voting rights of people with
psychosocial disabilities (kh), Elections
and People with Disabilities : The access of
people with disabilities to vote in elections is
an extremely critical human right issue!, by
Pralhad Gairapipli (rep), Stakeholders
call for ensuring voting rights to PWDs
(rep), No
time for elections in upper Mustang : With most
villages empty as the local population has
migrated to warmer climes, authorities should
have rethought poll timing, villagers say,
by Lal Prasad Sharma (kp), Parties
commit development and employment in election
manifesto (kh) [They
never mean what they claim!], Parties’
pledge of voting rights for Nepalis abroad
remains an unfulfilled promise : Political
parties feel Nepalis living abroad hold a sway
over their relatives here and can help influence
elections by being a swing factor, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [Just like
almost all the big-mouthed promises of the
failed top politicians!], Do
not disturb communal harmony for votes: Minister
Karki (kh) [If
anything disturbs social harmony, it is above
all the continued non-inclusive policies of the
parties!], HPCIDBC
warns of demolishing riverside slums if they do
not leave within 10 days (rep) [Without alternative
accommodation? The poorest of the poor live here
out of necessity. Now you want to destroy the
last things they own?]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
11/11/2022: Victims
of Madhesh movement left to fend for themselves
: Seven years after their revolt, many survivors
struggle to meet basic needs, by Nishan
Khatiwada, Bhusan Yadav and Umesh Chauhan (kp), Season
of discontent : This year’s election has been
marked by a refrain of discontent against
traditional parties and their leaders, by
Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Electioneering
leaders ignore policy issues, trade blows in
blame game : Political parties lack a clear
vision for development, say analysts, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp) [No,
not them again!], Parties
coming up with stale agendas in fresh elections
(kh), Parties
regularly mention transitional justice in
manifesto but progress dismal : Conflict victims
say they are fed up with unfulfilled promises,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Youths
have hope on new candidates, want to see change
: Most first time voters want to see new faces
in parliament who can address the problems of
the youths, by Sharana Sherpa (nlt), Media
should ensure credibility in election news: CEC
Thapaliya (kh) [Above
all, politicians and parties should convey
credibility, but they do exactly the opposite!
Is thews really covered by the code of conduct?],
NHRC’s
failings : The commission chairperson and
members resigning would be the fastest way out
of the current crisis (kp) [This is true, but the main
responsibility for the misery lies with KP Oli
and BD Bhandari! No, not them again!], Senior
Chinese official coming today despite Nepal’s
reservations : Delegation plans to tour heritage
sites including those being restored with
Chinese aid even as major elections loom, by
Anil Giri (kp), Domino
effect on developing economies likely with
escalating Ukraine war, recession in Europe,
interview with Mirco Günther, Head of the
Asia-Pacific Department at Friedrich-
Ebert-Stiftung in Berlin (ht), Battle
of ballots : There is more enthusiasm among
candidates than voters for polls on 20 November,
by Shristi Karki (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
10/11/2022: National
Human Rights Commission stares at a lower global
status : Downgrade recommendation by global
alliance of rights bodies takes effect after a
year, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [see GANHRI
Accreditation Report, pp. 38-41] [The then PM KP Oli and his
still incumbent state president Bidya Devi
Bhandari are highly responsible!], Children,
pregnant women and new mothers at risk of
infections post quake : At least six people
died, 12 were injured, and hundreds displaced in
M6.6 earthquake that rocked the Purbichauki
Rural Municipality in Doti district on Wednesday,
by Arjun Poudel and Mohan Shahi (kp), Rastriya
Swatantra Party drawing public attention ahead
of polls : Voters disenchanted with traditional
political parties and their leaders may help the
new party led by Rabi Lamichhane win a few
federal seats, by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Many
aspirants in ruling parties could complicate
prime minister selection post polls : Leaders
say Deuba and Dahal might have reached a deal to
head the government by turns, by Anil Giri
(kp) [Please not these
again! A pre-arranged change in the PM office
means the opposite of stability. It serves only
the personal lust for power by incompetent
politicians!], Pre-electoral
coalition in Nepal: Comedy of errors revisited,
by Pushpa R Joshi (ht), Apex
Court issues interim order supporting ‘No Not
Again’ campaign : In the second hearing of the
case, a joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan
Malla and Susma Lata Mathema issued an
interlocutory interim order against the poll
body’s decision (nlt), SC
asks EC not to take action on ‘No, Not Again
Campaign’ (kh), Parties
see fault in constitution, by Surendra Kafle
(ae), EC
must prove its impartiality (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
09/11/2022: Parties’
manifestos offer little to Dalits, Janajatis :
Rights activists have demanded a ‘Dalit decade’
to end deep-rooted caste-based discrimination
through policies and programmes, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Some
media disseminating biased news: PCN (kh), EC orders Toshima
Karki not to campaign with her symbol ‘bell’
(kh) [The "impartial" EC
ensures "free, fair and democratic" elections!
The "impartial" EC ensures "free, fair and
democratic" elections! This is pure bullying and
one can only hope that this candidate will be
elected!], Poll
authority appears afraid to take action for code
violations : Despite rampant code violations
including unlawful use of vehicles, commission’s
response is little (kp), Simmer
in the geopolitical cauldron : For Indians, the
Treaty of 1950 is the prime concern, everything
else is optics, by CK Lal (kp), Classes
began 7 months ago but students have no books :
Local authorities are actively involved in
preparing school compounds for upcoming
elections but have done nothing substantial to
supply textbooks, by Raj Bahadur Shahi (kp)
[Complete disinterest of
the central and provincial male elite in
fulfilling their actual tasks!], Candidates
of all stripes promise water supply as always,
but never deliver : The people of Surkhet in
mid-western Nepal continue to live a hard life
for lack of clean drinking water, Harihar
Singh Rathore & Jyotee Katuwal (kp), Low
conviction rate prompts CIAA to appeal at top
court in record numbers : Watchdog says it has
appealed in 122 cases since the start of the
current fiscal year, which is more than double
the appeals it filed in the whole of fiscal year
2021-22, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Unsustainable
spending : The populist policy of generous cash
handouts could ultimately bleed the state
coffers dry (kp), November
20 elections: Will they emulate the local polls?,
by Mahendra P Joshi (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
08/11/2022: State
Control over Media in Nepal, by Subodh
Gautam (rep), In
Chitwan-2, voters preferring Rabi Lamichhane
over established parties : Nepal Live Today’s
one-day observation in Chitwan-2 shows that most
voters are increasingly in favor of Rabi
Lamichhane, by DB Khadka and Narayan
Adhikari (nlt), Election
Commission requests : Supreme Court to vacate
interim order on Dr Toshima Karki’s candidacy
Karki is a candidate for federal parliamentary
seat from Lalitpur-3 (kp) [Many of the failed
politicians who are now running again have much
more important "offices of benefit", e.g. the
prime minister and his council of ministers.
Will they also be disqualified?], Independent
candidates galore in Nov 20 race (kh), ‘Tragic
brilliance’ federalism : Citizens not only
accept the defects, but also play a role in
maintaining the system, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), A
toxic cocktail An alliance between wealth and
power is a structural problem that all nations
have to handle, by Prakash Chandra Lohani
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
07/11/2022: Supreme
Court issues interim order in favour of ‘No Not
Again’ campaign : Election Commission has
threatened action against campaign members
involved in posting photos of prominent
politicians on social media (kp) [The SC's decision means a
victory of the right to freedom over the
anti-democratic EC and and the failed
politicians it protects!], Former
Election Commissioners request the EC to act
with restraint (rep), Citizens
demand greater fairness and accountability from
Election Commission : Amid allegations that the
poll body has not been able to enforce code of
conduct equally on all candidates, citizenry
have urged the Election Commission to increase
its vigil as the poll date is drawing close
(nlt), Invisible
burden of gender bias : There is much to do to
address the hierarchical power division between
men and women, by Devika Thapa (kp), Big
parties may win fewer proportional seats this
election : The number of parties crossing the
three percent vote threshold is expected to rise
in November 20 elections, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Climate
shocks add risks to Nepal’s power projects :
Hydropower assets face risks due to erratic
precipitation, glacial melting, and high rates
of runoff and erosion, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Achham
prisoners eager to cast ballot but only a few
are registered voters : There are a total of 82
inmates in the Mangalsen-based district prison,
but only seven are in the voter roll, by
Menuka Dhungana (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
06/11/2022: Fringe
forces’ boycott puts focus back on election
security : Chand’s party says it will actively
boycott the upcoming elections and retaliate if
the government uses force, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Deuba
responds to Oli’s boundary barb, emphasises
dialogue over diatribe : KP Oli had lambasted
the ruling alliance for its silence on the
boundary issue and accused them of surrendering
to India (kp), Janata
Samajbadi manifesto fails to focus on
citizenship issue : Party leaders, however, say
the citizenship issue was mentioned implicitly,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp) [The JSP is forgetting one of the most
important reasons why Madheshis should vote for
this party!], Psychological
aspect of Nepali politics : The politicians'
existential angst comes out clearly in their
unrealistic work plans, by Abhi Subedi (kp),
Educating
linguistic minority children : Nepal’s
educational development is impacted
mainly by a lack of opportunities for
multilingual education, by Puskar
Joshi (kp)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
05/11/2022: Embankment
to protect Dodhara Chandani is always a
poll agenda : The old embankment built
in 1994 has lost its original height to
siltation in the Mahakali river and
provides little protection to the
settlements, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp),
Mental
health absent from poll
manifestos : Leaders of
political parties say they are
aware of the problems and their
commitments on health covers the
issue (kp), Climate
change may hurt Nepal’s
remittance earnings :
Migrant workers sent
home Rs1 trillion in the
last fiscal year, making
it the primary lifeline
of the country’s economy,
by Sangam Prasain (kp), Home
Ministry identifies 23
groups that may seek to
disrupt upcoming
elections, by Binod
Subedi (rep), The
Need Of Civic Renewal,
by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
04/11/2022: NA
special committee furnishes 99-point federalism
execution recommendations (kh), Majhi
settlement where candidates reach merely for
votes (kh), Parties’
higher education pledges smack of hypocrisy :
While they promise to attract foreigners to
local varsities, Nepalis don’t seem much
interested in studying here and are leaving the
country in record numbers, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Upper
house panel suggests fewer ministries to cut
costs : Calls for scrapping 10 federal
ministries and reducing the number of provincial
ministries to 10 percent of assembly’s size,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), A
burning issue : The violence on the environment
is a transnational problem and we need a
collective resolve to tackle it (kp), Manifestos
of political parties : They only show the dream
of trains, but don't build them, by Himal
Lamsal (rep), Parties
Must Deliver On Promises, by Yug Bahadur
(rn), Many
Nepalis say no, not again : Voters urge each
other to replace elderly established politicians
with competent new leadership, by Shristi
Karki (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
03/11/2022: Whole
bunch of lies : The manifestos of big parties
are more a reflection of their lust for power
than of their commitment to the people and the
country (kp), What’s
behind the growing calls to ‘scrap’ provinces?
Political parties have been accused of trying to
centralise powers instead of working to
strengthen the seven provinces, and ultimately
rendering them ‘irrelevant’, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Three
Communist parties to boycott elections (kh)
[Most likely, these
parties would not win a seat anyway!], 100 voting centres
to be disabled-friendly (kh) [Out of 22,226 voting
centres!!!], Victims
of last month’s Pyuthan landslides languish in
school buildings : Authorities concerned have
offered assurances but haven’t done anything to
resettle the displaced victims yet, they say,
by Shamsher Bikram GC (kp), Who
would be prime minister if alliance wins polls?
The CPN-UML central committee has picked KP
Sharma Oli as the party’s prime minister
candidate. But the four-party alliance has not
figured out one, by Purushottam Poudel (kp),
Our
election, their election : Sunak was chosen not
for his longevity in politics, but because he
was considered the best, by Deepak Thapa
(kp), Managing
Nepal’s fiscal risks : These risks are caused by
political and administrative errors made in
managing the public economy, by Gopi K
Khanal (kp), FNJ
warns Press Council Nepal of
disobedience if the latter does not
correct its decision (rep), Candidates
Must Focus On Poverty Reduction, by
Devendra Gautam (rn), Parliamentary
special panel recommends to keep 15
federal and five provincial ministries
(kh) [Sounds
very rational!], The
tricky post-election power-sharing deal,
by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), How
strong is the anti-incumbency wave?,
by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Nepal’s
election culture and its ills, by
Ram Dayal Rakesh (ae), Contest
of the young turks, by Pranab Kharel
(ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), AP1
and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
02/11/2022: Don’t
be biased : Election Commission is letting the
powerful off the hook while raining sticks on
the weak (kp) [There
are numerous reasons to exclude the failed
politicians from the elections due to various
misconduct. Oli's repeated
unconstitutional attempt to dissolve parliament
in order to maintain his own power was only the
most blatant case!], EC
directs PM’s office to postpone PM Deuba’s
Dadeldhura trip (kh) [An excellent example of the
high-handedness and irresponsibility of Nepali
politicians! Of course, even a prime minister
has to finance his election campaign himself or
through his party.], Electoral
alliances add to the voters’ confusion : Voters
supporting alliance candidates will need to cast
ballots on different symbols for candidates and
the political parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
[The electoral alliances
are anti-democratic and only serve to keep the
failed politicians in power!], Nepali
women packing a punch : Nepal occupies a
respectable 16th position among the 133
countries regarding the proportion of elected
seats held by women, by Khim Lal Devkota
(kp) [This comparison is
misleading! The high percentage of women is
based on legal regulations. Responsibility is
still withheld from women today. Moreover, the
legal regulations are increasingly undermined by
the leading male politicians!], Dalit
women in Nepali politics: Underrepresented,
undermined, discriminated and oppressed : If
political parties are really serious about
ending the social discrimination, they should
not hesitate to provide enough opportunities to
Dalit women, by Radha Nepali (nlt), Election
manifestos promise the moon as political parties
jockey for position : The declarations have
become a mere ritual with little relevance,
economists say, by Pawan Pandey (kp) [The politicians should be punished
by the voters for this bullshit. Should
they nevertheless remain in power thanks
to their manipulations, they must be
held accountable for their deliberate
lies!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
01/11/2022: “Press
Council has attacked press freedom and
journalists' rights in Nepal” (rep), Nepalis
abroad are well-informed, angry and frustrated
with politics back home : Rarely do the
political actors in Nepal talk about the welfare
of Nepalis living and working in foreign
countries. Rarely does the subject of migrant
workers become the election agenda, by
Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), SC
hearing writ on EC’s notice against “No, Not
Again” today (kh), Supreme
Court orders Election Commission not to scrap Dr
Toshima Karki’s candidacy (nlt), Maoist
manifesto for directly elected President, fully
proportional system : Nepali Congress and
CPN-UML, the other two major parties, are
opposed to executive presidency, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Chhath’s
essence is equality but Dalits still left out :
For Dalits in Bara, the four-day festival was a
stark reminder of the discrimination they have
been subjected to for decades, by Laxmi Sah
(kp), RPP
pledges monarchy as guardian and
directly-elected prime minister : The
Rastriya Prajatantra Party has also
proposed to scrap the provinces and go
for a two-tier federal structure
(kp) [A return
to the monarchy, like the questioning of
the federal system, is grossly
unconstitutional and must not be
tolerated under any circumstances.
Parties which oppose the existing legal
order should not be admitted to the
elections!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
31/10/2022: How
the already-marginalized Dalit community is
marginalized in Nepali politics : The
representation of the Dalit Community, which
accounts for almost 15 percent of the country’s
population, in the parliament is expected to
fall as only a few Dalit candidates got tickets
from major political parties for the upcoming
polls, by Laxman Darnal (nlt), UN
CEDAW concerned about dire situation of women's
rights, gender equality (ht), Voting
for the independents : Their election victory
will send a message to the political lifers and
their servile cadres, by Naresh Koirala
(kp), Toshima
Karki’s ouster from race raises questions over
poll authority’s intent : Law experts challenge
Election Commission’s expansive interpretation
of the term ‘office of benefit’, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Toshima
reaches SC against rejection of her candidature
by EC (rep), Dearth
of creativity: The voter awareness message of
the Election Commission is ditto copy of an
Indian video : When the Election Commission was
asked for comment, the officials said it is
unfair to raise questions on every single matter
of the Commission (nlt), Senior
Advocate Tripathi challenges Election
Commission’s notification against “No Not Again”
campaign, by Sanjeev Nepal (nlt), Internal
rift emerges as a big headache for Maoist Centre
: Many party workers are dissatisfied with the
Maoist leadership’s selection of candidates,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Parties
Set To Advance Canvassing, by Ballav Dahal
(rn), KMC’s
decision to lock up Rani Pokhari during Chhath
disappoints worshippers : Organising committee
blames the city for not providing space to
celebrate the festival this year even though the
reconstruction of the pond is over, by Anup
Ojha (kp) [This reflects
the delusion of superiority and intolerance of
the Tagadhari minority of the hill region
towards the Tarai Hindus!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
30/10/2022: Election
Commission’s unconstitutional act : The attempt
by the constitutional body to curb criticism of
top leaders is against the spirit of freedom of
speech, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp), EC
scraps Dr Toshima's candidacy (rep), Toshima
to knock on SC doors against the rejection of
her candidature by EC (rep), Dr
Karki doubts EC’s impartiality, intention : To
move Supreme Court (kh), Nepali
Congress mum on secularism, vows to strengthen
federalism : The party’s manifesto says it will
create 1.25 million job opportunities in the
next five years, if voted to power, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [A party
that is not clearly in favour of secularism is
against proper inclusion of all groups in
society!], European
Union to skip monitoring upcoming polls : As
many as 10,000 observers from 43 domestic and
four international organisations will watch the
elections (kp) [Possibly
the reason is that this time the elections are
already anything but fair and socially inclusive
in the run-up! There are serious violations of
the law on the part of the top politicians and
their parties, but the Election Commission only
wants to punish civil society for criticising
this misconduct!], Two girls,
both aged four, killed as IED goes off in
Kalikot : Three other children seriously injured
in the blast are undergoing treatment, by
Tularam Pandey (kp), An
open letter to Nepali political leaders
: The beauty of democracy is that once
in five years the political leadership
becomes an advocate alluring voters to
side with them on specific agendas while
voters like me become the deciding
forces, by Niraj Shrestha (nlt) [This time, the top
politicians, most of whom have already
failed several times, are also taking
this task from the voters in order to
secure their hold on power!!!!]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
29/10/2022: Outrage
as poll authority cracks down on negative
campaigning : Critics say Election Commission
misunderstood citizens’ rights to free speech
and vote, by Anup Ojha and Anush Gurung (kp)
[It is not the public
that needs to be criticised for their clear and
correct words, but the power-hungry politicians
for their incessant false statements! The
Election Commission is once again relying on
false values and violating people's fundamental
rights! The politicians can claim whatever they
want and the people have to accept this without
comment?], What
drives people to vote in Nepal? Many people vote
for party candidates in the hope of getting
personal favours, by Purushottam Poudel (kp)
[Therefore, the
politicians lie like hell, and whoever exposes
these lies will be punished!], One
dies and four get injured in bomb blast in
Kalikot (kh), Two
die in Kalikot Bomblast (kh), Thousands
of workers evicted in Qatar’s capital ahead of
World Cup (kh) [The
next step in the policy of exploitation of the
workers! When will the World Cup finally be
cancelled? Money must not justify everything!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
28/10/2022: Curfew
still in place in Mahottari (kh), Election
Commission issues ‘Gender and Inclusive
Policy-2077 BS’ (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
27/10/2022: Nov
20 election: 2,199 candidates in fray for PR
seats in HoR (kh), Avoid
risky dealings with Beijing, by Adhiraj
Regmi (kh), 52
succumb to mosquito-borne infection so
far : Dengue spreads to all 77 districts
of the country (kh), Curfew
imposed in Mahottari (kh)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
26/10/2022: EC
disqualifies 550 candidates under PR category
(kh), EC
determines specific criteria for election
canvassing in media (kh), Election
Commission urges not to give offensive
expression (kp) [???]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
25/10/2022: Election
Commission mum as parties hold ‘informal’
rallies : Code of conduct says parties and
candidates cannot begin electioneering until
November 3, byTika R Pradhan (kp), Crude
politics of elections : The election campaign
has effectively turned into a mudslinging
competition, by Achyut Wagle (kp), What
are new parties offering that traditional ones
don’t? Many have laid emphasis on effective
implementation of constitution and shoring up
federalism, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Why
Nepal should balance geopolitics and take
advantage from China, by Simone Galimberti
(nlt), Ditch
the hammer, Balen : The goal is to balance the
interests of those involved in these informal trRajdhani
Rising Nepal
Sauryaade with pedestrian comfort
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
24/10/2022: The
declared ideals of 2006 and today’s political
impasse, by Karl-Heinz Krämer (kh), Inclusion
commissions at loggerheads over report : Tharu
Commission has objected to the Madheshi
Commission’s move to include the surnames of the
Tharu people as Madheshis, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Debt
concern grows as government borrowing doubles in
three years : Newly enacted law on public debt
management caps the external loans Nepal can
take at a third of its gross domestic product,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Hundreds
of PR candidates snub Election Commission’s
fines : Candidates ranked low on lists, who have
no hope of being elected, wish to be delisted,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [This
puts the whole PR system and the idea of social
inclusion in question! What will happen to
parties that cannot name enough PR candidates?],
Why
‘transfer’ votes? By voting a certain way people
can make their dislike for unnatural coalitions
known (kp), Poll
Literacy Boosts Voter Turnout, by Ballav
Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
23/10/2022: Indigenous
Nationalities Commission slammed for proposing
revisions to existing reservation system :
Commission officials seem to have fallen into a
trap set by anti-reservation groups who want to
scrap the inclusive system, say marginalised
group activists, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [This is due to the fact that
all constitutional commissions are hand-picked
individuals selected by the high-caste male
state elite for whom the orders and interests of
their anti-inclusive and anti-democratic masters
have absolute priority!], Pregnant,
disabled, elderly to miss vote (ht) [related
to Bajura], Women
contenders in direct race have it tough in
upcoming parliamentary elections : Major parties
have been reluctant to field women candidates.
Even the few in the fray have a battle in their
hands, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Rebel
candidates continue to be a headache for Nepali
Congress : The party asks them to withdraw from
the race. Congress members have also been
inactive in constituencies where alliance
partners have fielded candidates, by Anil
Giri (kp), The
government should expand child grants : With 40
percent of the population under 18 in Nepal,
investing in children is more important than
ever, by Meenakshi Ganguly and Lena Simet
(kp), Fighting
Fake News For Fair Polls, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
22/10/2022: What’s
wrong with regional parties? Most of them have
grown weaker after deviating from their popular
agendas, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), ‘Tourist’
candidates seen buying or renting houses in
constituencies they don’t originally belong :
Although this is not seen as a breach of
election code of conduct, such candidates’
motive is to manipulate voters, says former
election commissioner Uprety, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp), Defining
Autonomy Of Politics, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
21/10/2022: Things
that cannot be said : Apoorwa Singh’s case is a
timely reminder of the need to rethink and
revise our idea of free speech (kp), Single
Mothers and the Proposed Citizenship Bill,
by Monal Bhattarai (rep), Nepal
inflation skyrockets to 8.64 percent; double
compared to last year (nlt), Kathmandu
voters remain an enigma : Historically, the
national capital’s voters have been known to
give a chance to new (and often unexpected)
candidates, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
path of federalism : The time when citizens had
to run to the country's capital for minor
paperwork has ended, by Khim Lal Devkota
(kp), Break
Kathmandu-Centric Federalism, by Prabin
Manandhar (sp), Previously
companions, now competitors, by Balkrishna
Adhikari (rep), Hold
Elected Leaders Accountable, by Yug Bahadur
(rn), Alliance
versus alliance (sp) [Better call it alliances versus democracy!],
Constitutional
Commissions: Search For Visible Role, by
Keshab Poudel (sp), Coalition
government at all levels after upcoming
elections: Home Minister Khand (rn) [In a federal state, this is
definitely not the decision-making power of the
national government!], Gambling
with our future : Let us hope that on 20
November Nepalis will have the good fortune of
dealing from a brand new deck of cards (nt),
House
of cards : Nepalis are preparing to vote next
month in a sterile election devoid of ideology
and principles, by Sonia Awale (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
20/10/2022: Nepal
on the verge of serious hunger problems :
Nutrition scientists say immediate measures of
intervention are needed to avoid further
deterioration of the situation, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Nepal
Votes 2022: As election date nears, fears,
worries and doubts about fair polls : "Voters
are being dictated. They are being threatened to
vote for certain parties in coalition. People's
free will is not being respected" (nlt), Contractors
with deep pockets are wading into electoral
politics : Among the parties, Nepali Congress
has fielded most contractors for
first-past-the-post seats of lower house, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Whither
political debate? Public debates help make
prospective voters cast their ballots
judiciously (kp), Fool
Us Once, Fool Us Twice…, by Akhilesh
Tripathi (rep), Expect
stiffer US-China contestation in Nepal, by
Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Our
parties desperately need reform (ae), What
to expect from Nov 20 elections?, by Chandra
Dev Bhatta (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
19/10/2022: Are
MPs lawmakers or development workers?
Politicians say they are forced to make promises
related to development works to appeal to the
masses during polls, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Woman
allegedly tortured in custody : The victim says
officers physically abused her to extract
confession, by Bharat Jargha Magar (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
18/10/2022: Exclusionary
inclusion : Marginalisation of the country’s
small ethnic groups is a tragedy of modern
Nepali politics (kp), Expectations
from the Election Commission Nepal : It is up to
the commission to be the responsive, fair,
judicious, and autonomous body it is, by Ila
Sharma (kp), Government
mute spectator as extreme weather hits farmers :
As climate change-induced disasters increase,
thousands of people face the risk of hunger,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Multidimensional
poverty slumped in Nepal before Covid-19, global
report says : Earlier, a national report had
warned that the Covid-19 pandemic could disrupt
the past gains, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
17/10/2022: Democracy
is not dignified when economy is poor, by
Kalyan Shrestha (kh), Nepal
in second position among South Asian nations in
Global Hunger Index 2022 (kh), EC
to scrap PR candidacy of those candidates who
vied in local polls but did not submit expense
details (kh), The
race for national party status : Results of the
local elections put CPN (Unified Socialist) and
Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, with 3.66 percent
and 2.12 percent popular votes respectively, on
the brink, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Yet
more promises : Election manifesto publication
has also been turned into no more than a ritual
(kp), Govt
urged to contain possible incidences of women
violence during elections (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
16/10/2022: Khas
Arya candidates outnumber in inclusive category
(kh) [42% of the
candidates from the Khas Arya group, which
accounts for 30% of the total population! This
is what the ruling elite calls "inclusive" under
the PR system!], Vote
transfer among alliance partners is a tricky
business : Realising the challenges of
supporters switching votes, ruling alliance
decides to organise joint poll campaigns, by
Nishan Khatiwada (kp) [This
is not a democratic election, but a rigged farce
with the sole aim of keeping the failed and
outdated party leaders in power!], Ethical
Politics On The Wan, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn), For
workers, foreign jobs more crucial than voting :
Young Nepalis are leaving the country for
foreign employment in record numbers, statistics
show, by Pawan Pandey (kp) [In any case, none of the top
politicians will work to create jobs in the
country!], Transitional
justice bodies get terms extension without
chairs and members : Though the commissions have
got the extension of their terms, they will
continue to remain defunct in the lack of the
office bearers (kp), Senior
lives matter : This time, let us vote for what
we want rather than what everybody else expects
us to want, by Poonam Thapa (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
15/10/2022: Nearly
half of ethnic groups unrepresented in
Parliament in 15 years of PR exercise : The
proportional representation system seems to
benefit only the communities that are affluent
and better linked, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Constitutional
Bench’s inaction holding up vital national
issues : Supreme Court records show the last
time the bench conducted hearings was more than
two months ago (kp), Government
plan to allow private firms to trade power faces
presidential obstruction : President Bidya Devi
Bhandari has been sitting on an ordinance to
amend the Electricity Act for introducing new
provisions for over two weeks, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Balance
Between Civic Rights And Duties, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
14/10/2022: 3-party
dictatorship : Nepal’s break-up and make-up
electoral politics undermines democracy
(nt), Nepal’s
parties forge new pre-poll alliances : Seat
sharing deals for November's federal elections
indicate that ideology does not matter anymore,
by Shristi Karki (nt) [Party
ideologies have long been lost! It's all about
power and the advantages of the top politicians!],
Advocates
of independent politics fall into party line :
Campaigners aiming for a new way of doing
politics organise for proportional electoral
seats, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Opportunity
For New Faces, by Yug Bahadur (rn), More
than a numbers game : While casting their votes,
people must shun rank opportunists and unholy
coalitions (kp), Constituencies
to keep an eye on in November elections :
Shifting party loyalties could result in some of
the closest races in Nepal’s poll history,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Prime
minister sacks four Janata Samajbadi ministers :
They had believed that Deuba wouldn’t take such
a major decision after the poll code came into
force, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), SC
moved against nine contestants : Petitioner
seeks apex court order barring them from
contesting polls (ht), CM
Raut dismisses NC ministers (kp) [Once again, a sign of
complete misunderstanding of the federal state:
if a party leaves the government at the national
level, it is logical that its ministers must
quit. But the provincial level must not have
anything to do with this. If everything depends
on the power-hungry losers at the national
level, you can forget about federalism!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
13/10/2022: Federal
and provincial elections: Test for the
independent candidates : Several challenges will
confront the independent candidates if they will
win in the upcoming federal and provincial
elections. Yet also they will have the greatest
opportunity to re-shape the political space in
Nepal, by Simone Galimberti (nlt), JSP-UML
electoral alliance shows politics makes
strangest bedfellows : Bonhomie between Janata
Samajbadi, a party advocating Madheshi rights,
and CPN-UML, its ideological nemesis, suggests a
decline of agenda-based politics, experts say,
by Purushottam Poudel (kp), No
room for experts in Nepali politics : Experts
say the problem with Nepali leaders is most of
them consider themselves ‘Mr know all’ and
ignore expert advice, by Anup Ojha (kp), EC
requests not to conduct opinion polls
related to political parties and
candidates (rep) [Such opinion polls
would be an import tool as in all
democratic states of the world!],
2,412
in fray for 165 FPTP HoR seats : Less
than 10 per cent of contestants are
women (ht), Parties
disappoint voters again, by Cilla
Khatra (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
12/10/2022: Parties
shortchange Dalits, women and Janajatis : Weak
representation of members of the marginalised
communities as direct election candidates makes
a mockery of major parties’ commitment to
inclusion, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Candidates
start electioneering in blatant disregard of
poll code : As per the Election Commission’s
code of conduct, campaigning is allowed only
from November 3, by Binod Ghimire (kp), UML
withdraws candidacy in Chitwan-3, to support
NC’s rebel candidate (nlt) [Power strategies of
undemocratic parties and politicians! Nepal's
oligarchs make a mockery of Nepal's elections!],
The
loneliness of Madheshi politicos : The story of
the struggles, successes and limitations of
Madheshi politicians in Nepal, by CK Lal
(kp), Division
in Madhesh forces darkens their electoral
prospects : Two major parties in Madhesh pitted
against each other will fare worse this time
than in last elections, analysts say, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Ideology
Crisis In Nepal Politics, by Namrata Sharma
(rn), Whack-a-mole
: The practice of Chhaupadi won’t be removed
with the current top-down approach (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
11/10/2022: Continuity
over change : The new roster of tried and tested
electoral candidates does not inspire much
confidence (kp), Nepali
elections are becoming a battle of same old
faces : Lack of internal democracy in political
parties is mainly to be blamed, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp) [Maybe
not yet a failing state, but definitely a
failing democracy!], Subverting
political federalism : The coalition culture has
sidelined deserving candidates in favour of
cronies and sycophants, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), Major
political parties fall short to ensure gender
parity in politics : Almost all political
parties have an extremely lower ratio of women
to men candidates fielded under the
first-past-the-post category in the upcoming
elections (nlt), Zero
woman candidacy for HoR member in Baitadi
(kh), Checking
the monitor : Misuse of power and govt resources
during elections by those in power is quite
common (ht), The
centrality of elections in political process :
Historically, the parties that shied away from
elections have become irrelevant, by Thira L
Bhusal (kp), Multiple
organ failures of the nation: Can the new
election lead to its recovery?, by Jiba Raj
Pokharel (ht), Beyond
the bill: What lies behind the controversy on
Nepal’s citizenship legislation? Nepal appears
to be mired in a collision between the head of
state and the government as the former refused
to sign the citizenship bill into law on
September 20, by Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), 57 parties file
nomination towards FPTP for HoR election: EC
(kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
10/10/2022: A
whiff of change in the air on candidate
nomination day : Independents challenge many
party heavyweights as Election Commission
registers candidacy across country, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Women
politicians from Madhesh accuse party brass of
bias in selecting candidates : Nepotism and
monetary influence have held sway in candidate
selection in all major parties, they say, by
Santosh Singh (kp), Parties
deny dissidents tickets, many hit back by filing
rebel candidacies : Many leaders have even
allied with rival forces against the candidates
of the mother party or its electoral alliance,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), “Elections
will be held in free, fair and fear-free
environment” (kh) [It
takes a lot of audacity to tell the people that
the elections are fair. Once again, the bulk of
the candidates are male Bahuns. Women hardly
make an appearance, Dalits certainly not. The
sole purpose of the electoral alliances is to
secure the power of the failed, power-addicted
so-called top politicians once again. In "fair
elections", politicians do not contest once they
have failed; rather, they immediately resign
from all offices, allowing for continuous
renewal and rejuvenation of their parties. This
is even more true for politicians who have
trampled on the constitution. Nepal is not a
democracy, but an oligarchy!], Nominations
filed : The polls this time are most
unpredictable with the voters greatly frustrated
with the affairs of the state (ht), Fear
of ‘financial system collapse’ lingers : Economy
is the priority, not politics, by Govind
Nepal (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
09/10/2022: Top
leaders pick constituencies, Dahal opts for
Gorkha : Race hots up as political parties field
their first-past-the-post candidates today for
the November 20 elections, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Let
Election Ensure Stability, by Bhupa P
Dhamala (rn) [This hope
is unlikely to be fulfilled, as all the failed
politicians continue to consider themselves
indispensable. The continuation of patriarchy,
social non-inclusion, Bahunbad and personal
power struggles is guaranteed!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
08/10/2022: Conflict
victims worried as fate of transitional justice
commissions hangs in the balance : Terms of
Truth and Reconciliation and Enforced
Disappeared Persons commissions expire on
October 17, by Binod Ghimire (kp), As
nomination day nears, key partner quits ruling
alliance : Unhappy with coalition’s offer,
Janata Samajbadi reaches out to Oli. Loktantrik
Samajbadi jumps in to fill the void, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), LSP
leaders in Baluwatar for decisive talks
with the ruling coalition (kh), UML
offers Janata Samajbadi what ruling
alliance has refused : Leaders say deal
is almost done and negotiations are
focussed on individual constituencies,
by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
07/10/2022: Nepal:
Five Observations with the Second National
Election, by Binoj Basnyat (kh), NC
row: Koirala faction reiterates demand of 40
percent share (kh), Congress
camps close ranks with revision to
proportional candidacy : Koirala
faction, which had demanded fairness in
candidate selection, gets 35 percent
share, by Purushottam Poudel and
Nishan Khatiwada (kp)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
06/10/2022: 29
candidates withdraw candidacy from the
closed list (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
05/10/2022: EC
to publish name list of election candidates on
October 11 (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
04/10/2022: Democracy
is under threat from false online information,
says journalism educator : "If a claim online
makes you want to scream, cry or buy, take a
breath before sharing”, interview with
Linda Austin (nlt), How
sustainable is hydropower development in Nepal?,
by Sudip Acharya (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
03/10/2022: ‘Parties
lack willpower to ensure proportional
representation of marginalised communities’,
interview with Pradip Pariyar, executive
chairperson of the Samata Foundation, who
advocates the rights of marginalised people in
Nepal and currently leads the #DalitLivesMatter
movement (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
02/10/2022: Personal
feuds, fake social media posts new security
risks for the elections : Unlike in the past,
the primary threats are not the parties that
have boycotted the November 20 elections, by
Anil Giri (kp), Government
struggling to hit revenue targets after
prolonged import curbs : Its contrasting policy
of reducing imports but boosting revenues, as
expected, appears to be headed for a failure.
Election-targeted populist measures have not
helped either, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Janata
Samajbadi hints at leaving five-party electoral
alliance : Leaders from Unified Socialist and
Janata Samajbadi are irked as Nepali Congress
and Maoist Centre want more seats while
diminishing their prospects, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), JSP
signals exit from ruling coalition (rep), JSP-N unhappy with ruling alliance :
Ready for poll tie up with UML, DSP-N or other
parties, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Discontent
Brewing Over PR Lists, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
01/10/2022: Climate
change in Himalayan region worsens existing
gender and social inequalities : ICIMOD and UN
launch a report analysing gender dimensions of
climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayan
region, by Askriti Ghimire (kp) [see ICIMOD
report], Ending
The Irony Of Politics : The parliamentary
politics of Nepal is confined by its
constitutional frame of adversarial mode, power
collusion and patronage based political culture,
by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Madhesh
parties struggle to stay relevant in their
heartland : As regional parties drift from core
Madhesh issues, big parties try to cash in on
growing public frustration, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp) [The
responsibility lies equally with their leaders
and the machinations of the major parties! The
loser will be the Madheshi people.], Can
Nepal afford an ‘$8 billion’ rail line from
Lhasa to Kathmandu? Questions galore over costs
and benefits of the ambitious project. Nepali
leg alone is expected to cost over $3 billion,
by Anil Giri (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
30/09/2022: Dalit
man beaten up for entering temple : Police have
detained three people, including ward chair, in
connection with the incident, by Arjun Shah
(kp), 3,500
Kalikot households without power for seven years
: The local Sannigad micro hydropower project is
in disrepair since 2019, by Tularam Pandey
(kp), Poll
body using army, police to monitor media :
Observers swiftly criticise the poll body’s
decision, by Makar Shrestha (kp), Freedom
Forum concerned over EC’s move (kh), Swing
votes : Politics is not about people, it is only
about power in Nepal – more so than elsewhere,
by Shristi Karki (nt), Independents
are widening their reach : Rising public
frustration stemming from the failure of
traditional parties is cited as the main fuel
for independent candidates, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Young
voters, old leaders : Age is not the only
problem of our graying leaders. They also don’t
have anything new to offer (kp), ‘Rastriyata’
and the abuse of emotions : Unyielding
nationalism is not realistic in today’s world,
and it is time we started rethinking ours,
by Naresh Koirala (kp), India
pressures Nepal to stop Pakistani and
Chinese nationals at the border (rep
30/09/2022) [????]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
29/09/2022: Voters
favour women, party leaders don’t : Selection of
candidates is based on whims of male politicians
as women are under-represented in top party
committees, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp) [The party leaders are and
remain the greatest propagandists of patriarchy
and the non-inclusive state!], Amid
tricky geopolitics, Nepal should navigate
carefully, say experts (nlt), Audience
and readers of mass communication media drop:
Report, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh) [see report],
Partners
in crime : The finance minister and the
governor should work together to rescue
the flailing economy (kp), Teachers
bunking classes : On any given day, more
than 80,000 teachers are estimated to be
absent from Nepali schools, by Arun
Joshi (kp), Data
can strengthen democratic systems : A
successful democracy provides men and
women equal opportunities for
representation, by Rohini Pande,
Adnan Khan & Michael Callen (kp), Ward
chairman who beat up a Dalit man for
entering temple lands in police custody,
by Krishna Oli (rep), Civic
Engagement In Electoral Politics, by
Mukti Rijal (rn),
Organisations disappointed over prez's
refusal to sign citizenship bill
(ht), Dalit
family deprived of govt facilities
(ht), LGBTIQA+
community in Nepal: Upset over electoral
underrepresentation, by Cilla Khatry
(ae)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
28/09/2022: National
Human Rights Commission slated to lose its top
international status : Controversial
appointments are to blame. Relegation by Global
Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions
will tarnish Nepal’s image abroad, experts say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The
main responsibility for Nepal's international
loss of reputation lies with ex-Prime Minister
Oli and "his" President Bhandari. But the Deuba
government and the SC also have to face blame
for their inaction!], Stakeholders
call for reforms in transparency of fiscal
information (rep), Finance
Ministry, Nepal Rastra Bank go separate ways as
economic crisis looms : The ministry forms panel
to suggest measures to address private sector’s
concerns over expensive loans. The central bank
is still averse to cutting interest rates,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Election
code of conduct comes into force : Observers
doubt effective implementation. Election
Commission categories constituencies and fixes
spending ceilings between Rs2.5 million to Rs3.3
million for lower house seats, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), EC’s
code of conduct not practical: NC spokesperson
(rn), Use
of pocket veto: Yet another disregard of the
constitution, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), Get the Governance
Right, by Lal Shanker Ghimire (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
27/09/2022: Stumbling
on alliances : There has been no compelling
rationale for the forging of pre-poll alliances
(kp), Constitutionalism
in crisis : Ironically, the final interpreter of
the constitution, the Supreme Court, itself is
mired in hazy confusion, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), “UML
instigated the President to postpone elections”,
interview with Ram Narayan Bidari (kh), Debate
Over President's Bill Refusal, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn), US
Acting Assistant Secretary Trudeau visiting
Nepal (kh) [Unabated
global power struggles on the back of Nepal!],
“Labeling
constitutional violation as political move
cannot strengthen democracy” (kh), FNJ
expects political parties to give space for
press freedom in election manifesto (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
26/09/2022: Ramechhap
woman beaten to death on witchcraft charges :
Bibi Majhi died a cruel death at the hands of
her villagers. Her 70-year-old mother suffered
severe injuries (kp), Carefully
now, Mr Mayor : Elected leaders must abide by
democratic norms. Popularity is no ticket to
waywardness (kp) [This
is exactly what is constantly disregarded, from
the president to the government and parties down
to the local level!], Dhankuta
mass resignations hint of dogfight in Maoist
Centre for poll tickets : Politburo member
Hemraj Bhandari says he will contest as an
independent after sensing his likely snub as a
direct-election candidate from the coalition,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Court
seeks clarification on President’s refusal to
authenticate citizenship bill : Petitioners want
court to set precedent on the issue so that such
problems don’t repeat (kp), Stagflation
: Or a bumpy inflation in Nepal?, by Kanchan
Rauniyar (ht), ICJ
deplores lack of public health preparedness in
Nepal necessary to address latest surge in
dengue cases : “Unfortunately, the government’s
responses and preparations to combat dengue
fever remain wholly inadequate” (nlt) [see report
by ICJ, 23/09/2022] [People need to understand that politicians
are so busy with their power struggles and
manipulations that they cannot care about such
things!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
25/09/2022: Dr
Govinda KC ends hunger strike after
10-point agreement with govt
(nlt) [As
always before, the government will
not stick to anything it has agreed
to!], Ruling
coalition to begin discussion on
provincial seat sharing (kh) [It shows a
complete lack of understanding of
federalism when the national level
interferes with the competences of
the provinces and the local level!],
What
kind of president did the new
republic imagine? President Bidya
Devi Bhandari’s recent political
activism has trained the focus on
the roles and responsibilities of
the institution she represents,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), President
counter-accuses government of
breaching constitution : Days after
the ruling parties accused her of
violating the constitution, the
President writes to government to
regularly brief her on Cabinet
decisions, by Anil Giri (kp), President Runs The
Gauntlet, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn), SC
issues show cause order to
President’s Office (kh), People
found unaware of laws (rn), Bhattarai,
Dahal say they are joining forces
(ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
24/09/2022: A
new type of people’s war is necessary for
socialism: Prachanda (kh), Verdict
on petitions against President’s move unlikely
before a month : As court goes on Dashain
vacation from September 26 to October 9, it will
not hear cases other than habeas corpus (kp)
[Take your time! What
does it matter if the president, the prime
minister or both of them in close cooperation
trample on the constitution and stage coups, as
has happened repeatedly in the past two years?],
Adjusting
To Shifting Geopolitics, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha TV (evening)
23/09/2022: Rule
of the lawless : Following the rules in Nepal is
an exception, rather than the rule (nt), Democratic
breakdown : The chase for power has made each
individual wielding authority turn against
democratic institutions (kp), Public
Expectations From Polls, by Yug Bahadur
(rn), Will
escalating tensions hit November elections? The
President is accused of foiling the citizenship
bill to muddy the waters, sensing UML’s poor
poll prospects, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), The
ball is now in Supreme Court as Sheetal Niwas
and Baluwatar face off : A single bench to
decide whether or not to send the petitions to
the Constitutional Bench, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), SC
scheduled to hear petitions against President’s
move to reject Citizenship Amendment Bill
(nlt), SC
hearing on writs against President’s
non-certification of Citizenship Bill fails to
take place (kh) [??],
President
Bhandari addressed GSI against Nepal’s foreign
policy: MoFA (rep), President’s
precedent, by Shristi Karki (nt), Inoculation
against misinformation : As Nepal’s elections
near, fact-checking, media literacy and
monitoring can foster trust in public
institutions, by Deepak Adhikari (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
22/09/2022: The
political games : One can only hope that wise
heads prevail in the current coalition, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), 'Commissions
failed to deliver as per expectations (rn),
Parties
scramble for response to Sheetal Niwas
subterfuge : PM consults legal experts, who
suggest multiple options, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), President’s
message aired at China’s GSI event despite
government’s reservations : Kathmandu-based
diplomats call government officials to register
their concerns over the President’s virtual
participation in the event, by Anil Giri
(kp), President
must pay : Bhandari seems ready to buttress her
former party’s nationalist image even if it
means tainting her’s (kp), ‘An
exercise to find alternative to incumbent govt
by postponing elections’ (rep), Petition
filed at Supreme Court against President for not
certifying Citizenship Bill (rep), Nepal
struggles to balance ties with three major
powers, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
21/09/2022: Political
parties continue to abuse proportional
representation system : Many nominees in the
closed lists submitted to Election Commission
have repeatedly occupied positions of power,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Women
MPs, unite : A new women’s parliamentary caucus
is needed at a time when they are being brazenly
discriminated (kp), Fixing
a flawed quota system : The solution to the
loopholes is not discontinuation but
evidence-based revision, by Divya Rana and
Vibhav Pradhan (kp), President
rejects citizenship bill, tramples on the
constitution : Her refusal will deny state ID to
half a million people who awaited the bill’s
passage, by Tika R Pradhan and Purushottam
Poudel (kp), President
refuses to authenticate Citizenship Amendment
Bill : The 15-day timeline given to the
President by the Constitution for certification
expired at Tuesday midnight (nlt), President
Bhandari violates Constitution as she refuses to
certify Citizenship Amendment Bill, by
Balkrishna Adhikari (rep), President
refuses to sign citizenship bill into law,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Deadline
for authenticating Citizenship Bill ends :
Citizenship Bill "inactive" as President
declines to authenticate (kh), Prez
Bhandari’s ‘rejection’ of Citizenship Bill
creates ripples in political circle (kp), Ruling coalition
issuing statement against President’s move
(kh), Ruling
coalition lambasts President Bhandari’s
“unconstitutional” move to reject Citizenship
Bill (kh), Bhandari
attending Beijing’s GSI event after foreign
ministry’s bungle, by Anil Giri (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
20/09/2022: Far
West disaster victims struggle to survive :
Landslides in Achham on Friday killed 22 people.
In Kanchanpur and Kailali, floodwaters inundated
several settlements and displaced hundreds,
by Menuka Dhungana, Bhawani Bhatta and Mohan
Budhaair (kp), Chief
concerns : The manner in which the Chief Justice
impeachment affair unfolded has been
disheartening (kp), Controversies
Surrounding Suspended CJ, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn), Minor
rape victim's mother seeks security assurance
after release of accused in Saptari (ht), Dr
Gobinda KC refuses to fly to Kathmandu for
treatment : The health crusader is currently on
a hunger strike in Dhangadhi where his health
condition is worrisome, say doctors. The
government sent a Nepal Army helicopter to
Dhangadhi to bring him to Kathmandu for further
treatment on Tuesday (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
19/09/2022: Constitution
Day: Time to deliver on promises rather than
celebration, by Jivesh Jha (nlt) [Not even one of the old
party leaders will ever deliver! Without
exception, they have only selfish power
interests. Besides, it is their constitution.
The numerous shortcomings and contradictions of
the constitution were their intention!],
Centralised
mindset still the biggest hurdle to charter
implementation : Parties chose to block full
implementation and introduced only selective
changes to help themselves, experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Seven
Years On: Remembering Ashoj 3, by Randhir
Chaudhary (rep), Leaders
Must Uphold Constitution, by Bishnu Gautam
(rn), “Mindset
of political leaders hasn’t changed yet” : The
party leaders still suffer the feudal mindset,
interview with Prakash Rasaili (kh), Eighth
Constitution Day: Political Correction for
Proper Implementation of Constitution (kh),
Seven
topsy-turvy years : The constitution is by and
large progressive. Only if our political parties
adhered to it (kp), Five
arrested for trying to torch constitution
(kh) [And what about
those who constantly break or disregard the
constitution? In the end, this is much worse
than burning a book!], Will
Hinduism be an agenda in the upcoming elections?
While events in India will have an impact,
religion is as yet not a big vote-puller in
Nepal, by Purushottam Poudel (kp) [The Hindu state is not so
much a question of religion, but a social and
political concern. At stake is the question of
inclusion and rights in the multi-ethnic and
multi-religious state, the value of women,
perceptions of caste, respect for other
cultures, etc.], Vision
for development in federal setup : We must get
rid of the misconception that infrastructure
development is just about connectivity. We must
focus on creating new settlements in the rural
areas, by Keshav Acharya (nlt), Challenging
the old and channelling the new : Despite
resistance to devolution, decentralisation has
enhanced public service delivery, by Pukar
Malla and Krishna Gyawali (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
18/09/2022: House
panel recommends suspended CJ’s impeachment :
Rana, however, is preparing to return to the
Supreme Court as chief justice, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Parliament
committee recommends impeaching suspended CJ
Rana : Panel divided over proceeding; new
parliament to take care of it (kh), Suspended
CJ Rana confined at home; police deployed to
prevent him from entering SC premises
(kh), Has
the govt placed suspended Chief Justice Rana
under house arrest? (rep), Govt
has shown its malafide intention by not
letting me come out of my residence:
Suspended CJ Rana (rep), Nepal
Bar stages a sit-in to prevent Rana from
entering SC (kh), Mud-slinging
the order of the day in Parliament’s last
sitting : House debates were largely
centered on removal of Oli government and
the citizenship issue, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), It’s
either 40 percent ticket share or poll
boycott, rival camp threatens Deuba :
Leaders supporting Koirala-Thapa faction
voice their fears of the Congress not
fielding candidates from the camp, by
Anil Giri (kp), Loan
shark victims end struggle after five-point
agreement : Government agrees to take
measures to compensate the victims and
reclaim land illegally taken by the lenders,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [And what
about the brutal police attacks?],
Street
Vendors Left Out In The Cold?,
by Parmeshwar Devkota (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
17/09/2022: How
free is freedom of artistic expression in Nepal?
Artists have been arrested now and then and at
times censures have been imposed on their
creations. What does this suggest about the
freedom of expression in Nepal?, by Shrutika
Raut (nlt), NGOs
charged of concealing information (kh) [How is this different from
the behaviour of political parties and their
leaders?], Karnali
residents have no grains ahead of festivals :
Rice shortage is a perennial problem in the
far-flung districts and government help is too
little too late, by Krishna Prasad Gautam
(kp), Leaders
of Madheshi parties making a beeline for the UML
: Observers term the election-time defections
rank opportunism, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp) [Better call it betrayal of
the interests of Madheshi people because of
selfish motives of their so-called leaders!],
PM
Deuba vows to hold Nov 20 elections in a fair
manner as term of parliament expires at midnight
tonight (kh) ["Fair"
also means: no coercion of voters by the
high-caste male party leaders through electoral
alliances and adequate inclusion of all social
groups, e.g., 50% female direct candidates,
maximum of 6% each male Bahuns and Chhetris as
candidates, proportion of Dalits, Janajtis,
Madheshis according to their share of the
population, etc.], EC
demands mayors of various metropolis to pay Rs
700,000 each in fine for not submitting election
expense details on time : Those sought fine
includes KMC Mayor Shah, Dharan Mayor Sampang
and Bharatpur Mayor Dahal (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali) and Sagarmatha
TV (evening)
16/09/2022: United
in dotage : Old age runs deep in Nepal’s
mainstream politics (nlt) [These failed politicians,
who still believe they are indispensable, are,
besides authoritarian party structures, the
fundamental problem of Nepali politics!],
RPP
to field “popular” faces under PR category
(kh) [Quite mendacious!
What is sold as positive is in reality the only
way to ensure the return of old politicians from
this party as well, provided, of course, that
the party gets over the 3-percent hurdle at all.],
MP
Pant's appeal to political parties to increase
candidacy of women (rep), World
Bank Group urges Nepal for comprehensive and
scaled-up climate action (kh) [see World
Bank report, 15/09/2022], World
Bank launches Country Climate and Development
Report : The GDP of Nepal is estimated to reduce
by 7 percent in 2050 solely due to climate
change (kp), Climate
change expected to further affect Nepal, says
World Bank report (ht), Nepal
refuses to be pushed into a hasty decision on
Indian’s Agnipath scheme : Ministry says
government formed after November polls will take
a call on if Nepalis can join Indian Army’s plan,
by Purushottam Poudel (kp), Speculations
over communist alliance suit the Maoist Centre
just fine : CPN-UML wants to forge an alliance
with Maoist Centre, whose leaders won’t deny
left alliance rumours, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), What
will make Nepali soft power tick? Nepali
stories, artists and entrepreneurs have the
wherewithal to take on the world, by Amish
Raj Mulmi (kp), Govt
decides to withdraw cases against Resham
Chaudhary, other accused (rep), Dr
KC’s health critical; he has refused to take
medication, by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal (rep), 60-year-old
Palpana fighting for her land for six years
(rn), HoR,
Province Assembly's term to expire from
September 17 midnight (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), Sagarmatha
TV (evening), and AP1 News (morning)
15/09/2022: Differences
over definition of murder killing key TJ bill :
As parties dispute over amnestiable and
non-amnestiable crimes in parliamentary
committee, the term of the House of
Representatives expires at midnight Saturday,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Violence
against LGBTQI+ people continues : Safety of
sexual minorities in question after two members
of the queer community were beaten up on
suspicions of stealing babies in Siraha on
Saturday, by Bharat Jarghamagar (kp), Dalit
politicians being denied tickets : Political
parties didn’t field women Dalit candidates in
124 wards in the local elections last May : The
number of Dalit mayors decreased by half in 2022
polls compared to 2017, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp), On
equal footing : The constitutional provisions
for inclusion cannot be ignored or circumvented
anymore (kp) [But
the reality looks different as the high-caste
political patriarchy does not abide by the
Constitution, laws or SC rulings! And they do
not even have to fear punishment!], NC
restricts previous PR-elected lawmakers from
becoming PR candidates again (kh), Nov
20 polls: Maoist Center to not repeat PR
lawmakers (kh) [NC,
CPN (MC) and all the other parties had better
restrict the previously directly elected
politicians from running again. After all, these
predominantly male, high-caste politicians are
the ones responsible for the whole misery of the
state, not so much the MPs elected through the
PR system!], Prachanda
sees need to keep party intact to
safeguard achievements (kh
15/09/2022) [Which
achievements? Democracy is in a sorry
state, the republic is more of an
oligarchy with a patriarchal flavour,
there is no question of social inclusion
and federalism is in its infancy at
best!], The
tug-of-war between President and Prime
Minister, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai
(ae)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), Sagarmatha
TV (evening), and AP1 News
(morning)
14/09/2022: Instigation
of TRC and CIEDP for Justice, and Psychic
Therapy : Let’s not contextualize Nepal as
human-rights-risk-zone, by Uttam Poudel
(kh), Pathos
of collective humiliation in Madhesh : Elections
may come, elections may go, but the struggles of
Madheshis will have to continue to establish
themselves as ‘the People’, by CK Lal (kp),
Chinese
Speaker inquires about left unity, commits to
reopening borders : Li was also keen to know
about the status of the MCC Compact and
commended Nepal’s stand on the SPP, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp) [Nepal
in the global power struggle of the superpowers!],
Tourism
hamstrung as government delays passing twin
aviation bills : Nepal needs to split the Civil
Aviation Authority into service provider and
regulator to get out of the European
Commission’s air safety list, by Sangam
Prasain (kp) [Continued
anti-national disinterest of Nepali governments
for years: Incompetence, protectionism,
corruption, what are the backgrounds?], Traffic
jams amid Chinese Speaker’s visit trouble Valley
commuters, by Anup Ojha (kp) [The disregard for basic
civil rights because of the courting of god-like
politicians and foreign state visitors is
reminiscent of the royal middle ages from which
Nepal actually wanted to liberate itself!],
VIP
movement causes inconvenience to commuters,
pedestrians, office-goers (rep), Beyond
grand promises : Only by making quality
education an easily attainable fundamental right
can we dream of a better tomorrow (kp), Dr
KC’s health deteriorates (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), Sagarmatha
TV (evening), and AP1 News
(morning)
13/09/2022: Revival
of women’s caucus vital to advancing feminist
movement : The sorority in the 2008 Constituent
Assembly laid foundation for gender equality in
the constitution, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Police
crackdown on loan shark victims
continues : As many as 30 protestors
have been detained by the police on
Tuesday (kp), Arrest
of comedian Apoorwa Kshitiz reignites
the free-speech debate : There appears
to be some gap in the interpretation of
free speech between new and old
generations, by Anup Ojha (kp),
Untimely
whispers : As a high-level leader from the north
visits Nepal, we must ask when the border gates
will fully open for trade (kp), Nepal
and China agree to enhance cooperation on
multiple fronts under the BRI framework : The
six-point agreement emphasised cooperation on
governance, legislative and supervisory
practices, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal
mocks green pledges by approving new oil
pipelines : The project is not only a waste of
money, but also a glaring example of a fractured
and unstable politics, experts say. by
Krishana Prasain (kp), President
certifies five bills, excluding Citizenship Bill
(kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
12/09/2022: Dangerous
destinations : We should create opportunities at
home to ensure trafficking of Nepalis comes to
an end (kp), Poll
manifestoes : Refrain From Populist Agenda,
by Ballav Dahal (rn), Experts
suggest strengthening Press Council instead of
Media Bill (kh), Visiting
Chinese Speaker may have speculations of left
unity to shrug off : Even in the past, China has
clearly expressed its wish for a strong and
united communist party in Nepal, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Conclave
ends with talks on geopolitics, social media and
music : The event concludes after two days of
discussion on issues of national and global
import–from climate change and digital
transformation to unleashing Nepal’s ‘soft’
power (kp), Dr
Govinda KC to start fast-unto-death from
Dhangadhi from today (rep), Rastriya
Ekata Abhiyan denounces arrest of Chair Yadav
(kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
11/09/2022: Inclusiveness
missing in judiciary (ht), Land
of gossip : The psyche of producing gossip would
remain the principal shaper of the election
manifestos, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Who
is playing spoilsport in seat-sharing? Congress
or JSP : While JSP is confident of wins in
Madhes, Congress too has ample reason not to
concede too many seats, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp) [Manipulation
of what the anti-democrats once called
"democracy"!], Nepal,
India set for tough negotiations at next JC meet
on water resources : Pancheshwar Multipurpose
Project, Saptakoshi high dam, compensation for
people affected by two barrages and inundation
in border regions are on the agenda, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Severe
wasting in two eastern districts hints at a
hidden health crisis : High prevalence of an
acute form of malnutrition in and around Tarai,
the country’s food basket, is alarming. Children
are not getting enough nutritious food, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Leveraging
Nepal’s untapped potential, making the world a
better place : First day of Kantipur Conclave
was jam-packed with insights on nation’s
pressing issues (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
10/09/2022: Is
alternative politics on the wane in Nepal? The
leaders of ‘alternative forces’ have turned out
to be no different than the conventional
political parties, experts say, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), The
Nepalis braving ‘death route’ to reach Europe :
Tricked by organised human traffickers, Nepalis
who try to land in Greece illegally via Turkey
are dying and disappearing in increasing numbers,
by Janakraj Sapkota (kp), What
happens to motion against chief justice after
lower house term ends? Suspended due to the
impeachment motion, Chief Justice Rana might
seek court order to return to work, experts say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
09/09/2022: “When
media cannot function independently, democracy
cannot sustain”, interview with Dinesh
Tripathi (kh), Final
settlement on seat-sharing still elusive as
parties stick to their guns : Task force submits
its final report to top alliance leaders who
will now take the final call, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp), Balen:
His challenges and strengths : Changing a
long-established bureaucratic culture is one of
the hardest things for any leader, by Naresh
Koirala (kp),15-yea r-old
girl 'gang-raped' in Kailali (rep), Building
Resilient Economy, by Yug Bahadur (rn), Affirmative
inaction : Party patriarchy sidelines women
aspirants to office, and gives bare minimum
representation (nt), The
power to have a say in her-story : As the
November elections approach, Nepal’s
male-dominated parties are loath to let women
contest, by Shristi Karki (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
08/09/2022: Conflict
victims on tenterhooks with House term on the
verge of expiry : They fear the bill to amend
Transitional Justice Act may not be endorsed by
Parliament, allowing for an ordinance, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Un-presidential
ambitions : Nowhere does the constitution
envision for the president the kind of broad
discretionary powers she seems to want (kp),
High
and mighty : We should debate whether we need
VIPs flashing their status to our faces every
opportunity they find, by Deepak Thapa (kp),
Achieve
Sustainable Economic Growth, by Bidhyaman
Mahatara (rn), Women
in climate change policy: Give them their due,
by Usha Kiran Subba (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
07/09/2022: Nepal
on the horns of dilemma over China’s Global
Security Initiative : Experts say Kathmandu
should stay away from Chinese President Xi’s
concept, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal
should make its position clear on China’s GSI,
by Saurav Raj Pant (kh), What
if President Bhandari refuses to authenticate
the citizenship bill? Those the head of state
has consulted of late say that is not at all a
far-fetched possibility given her ‘bruised ego’,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [In
terms of disregarding her constitutional duties
and the fundamentals of parliamentary democracy,
the president gained plenty of experience during
KP Oli's premiership.], Marriage
of convenience : There is no guarantee that the
alliance will remain intact once the
parliamentary elections are over (kp) [An electoral alliance
exclusively in the interests of power of failed
politicians who have remained the same for many
years and definitely not in the interests of
voters and democracy!], Govt
withdraws proposal to extend HoR's tenure
(ht), ‘Our
political leaders have deluded us with
ideological slogans and outdated doctrines as
recipes for development, interview with Kul
Chandra Gautam (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
06/09/2022: Crime
and politics : By legitimising criminality,
political parties have turned politics into a
transactional enterprise (kp), Conclude
Protracted Peace Process, by Uttam Maharjan
(rn), Security
guard who asked a minister to wait in queue
freed : Home minister orders Gurung’s release
after Minister Shrestha pardoned him (kp) [The security guard needs no
pardon from the failing minister, but justice
and compensation.], I
know tourism minister will not resign, but he
should apologize publicly: National Assembly
member Poudyal (rep), Election
Commission opposes plan to extend House term :
Election code of conduct says terms of members
of lower house and provincial assembly will lose
their positions after filing nominations for
elections (kp) [A
moronic discussion: elected MPs only become
functional when parliament first convenes. No
democratic country can afford to be without a
legislature or executive for months! This
once again highlights one of the many
shortcomings of the 2015 Constitution.],
Why
have PM Deuba and his ministers not disclosed
their property details?, by Bhuwan Sharma
(rep), Seat
Sharing Conundrum, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn),
Cetamol
in short supply as dengue cases rise : The
shortage of cetamol is mainly because
pharmaceutical producers in Nepal had to cut
down production due to high cost, by Kiran
Lama (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
05/09/2022: Crime-accused
can contest polls but they may be barred from
performing duty : Experts say flawed laws can
create a situation where the electorate may not
have their representative in the House, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Police
arrest security guard for asking a sitting
minister to wait in queue : A Chhaya Centre
security guard asks Tourism Minister Shrestha,
who was at the visa centre in a personal
capacity, to wait for his turn, by Matrika
Dahal (kp) [Ministers
are no better at doing private things. The
security officer deserves an award and
compensation!], Security
Guard Gurung tells Lamichhane from police
custody, “I did not misbehave with tourism
minister” (rep), Guard
arrested for doing his duty : Asked minister to
come in queue for visa biometrics (ht) [The cocky arrogance of some
politicians can hardly be surpassed!], Jail
recommended for legal heirs for not taking care
of elderly (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and AP1 News
(morning)
04/09/2022: Nov
20 Polls : Let’s Stop the Snollygosters!, by
Akhilesh Tripathi (rep), Trapped
in migration and remittance : It is necessary to
invest in the skills of Nepali youth to fully
realise the demographic dividend, by Nischal
Dhungel (kp), RPP
Chair Lingden announces resignation as lawmaker
(kh) [A strange view of
the electoral period of a parliament! This may
only end on the day on which the newly elected
parliament convenes for the first time.
Otherwise, the country would be without a
legislature for weeks or even months, what
the executive has enjoyed manipulating
in the past.
There is no question of a tenure extension.],
Unified
Socialist At A Crossroads, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn), Media
Council bill : FNJ wants restrictive provisions
removed (ht) [Especially
failing politicians and corrupt elements should
not be "criminalised"?]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
03/09/2022: Stateless
in Nepal : Politicisation of the citizenship
bill has deprived many of their fundamental
rights, by Tufan Neupane and Tika R Pradhan
(kp) [It is not only the
extreme politicisation of all spheres of public
life with which the so-called top politicians
have been ruining the state and society for
years, it is also the patriarchal thinking
anchored in the constitution and laws that
denies women the right to transfer their
citizenship to their children.], Voters
should be provided adequate information on
election: NIC (kh), Bill
proposes continuing current lower house’s term
until March 4 : Experts decry plan as
unparliamentary. Government has drafted a bill
to amend relevant law, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
[What is morally wrong
can never be legally right! The previous
parliament is history from the time of the new
elections at the latest!], Civil
society leaders urges parties to select capable,
honest and reliable candidates in Nov 20
elections (kh) [Then
most of the old faces should not appear again on
the candidate lists, especially not the
so-called top leaders!], Government
only thinking of taking temporary benefits:
Madan Krishna Shrestha (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
02/09/2022: In
Myagdi, child marriages continue despite
multi-million rupee campaigns : According to
district health authority, nearly 20 percent of
pregnancies reported over the last year were
underage, by Ghanshyam Khadka (kp), 17
amendment proposals to the bill on transitional
justice law : Victims and rights activists
say the current bill provides a loophole to
define all murders as non-cruel and grant
amnesty for all murders, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Theory
of dissent : ‘None of the above’ is a legitimate
option that allows the electorate to reject
candidates, by Samar SJB Rana & Vera
Jasmine Shrestha (kp), Need
and greed : Citizens must organise against
rampant extractivism by Nepal’s
politico-business nexus, by Rabin Giri (nt),
A
nation built on sand : Nepal’s politico-business
nexus is ravaging mountains and rivers,
destroying our future, by Ramesh Kumar (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
01/09/2022: New
elections, same old faces, by Kamal Dev
Bhattarai (ae) [It has
never occurred to me in the 72 years of my life
to question democratic elections. But this time
it has, perhaps because this no longer has much
in common with democracy!], President
consults Maoist and Unified Socialist leaders on
citizenship, transitional justice bills :
Responding to the President’s concerns, the
leaders said the bill on Citizenship Act is only
a temporary remedy and a new act is needed,
by Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Make
Poll Manifestoes Realistic, by Mukti Rijal
(rn) [The power-hungry
party politicians have never intended to
implement the contents of the election
manifestos later on. The manifestos are usually
not worth the paper they are printed on!],
Strict
election code : The code of conduct has barred
PM and ministers from campaigning in
constituencies other their own (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
31/08/2022: Citizenship
Bill : Maintain Gender Justice, Equality, by
Namrata Sharma (rn), Indirectly
elected representatives, most of whom are women,
have less powers : In the upcoming elections,
women aspire to contest first-past-the-post
seats but political parties don’t seem
enthusiastic to give them tickets, by
Aakriti Ghimire (kp) [According
to the patriarchal thinking of the ruling male
elite, Nepal belongs only to men, especially to
those from the Tagadhari castes, particularly
the Bahuns. The citizenship law and the current
discussion on this matter make this clear. Since
because of the alliance the direct candidacies
are also divided among the parties, the ruling
men cannot "waste" any mandate on women!],
People’s
issues ignored as parties are overly fixated on
power : One year since adopting their common
minimum programme, the ruling parties have never
discussed the commitments, by Purushottam
Poudel (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
30/08/2022: Kin
of disappeared wait for justice even 16 years
after end of insurgency : Government and parties
want to settle transitional justice process
without ensuring justice to victims, say
activists, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Neither PK Dahal and his
Maoist comrades, nor the army, nor the leaders
of the political parties responsible for crimes
or their protection during the insurgency want
justice for the victims. Indeed, they all then
run the risk of endangering themselves!],
Kin
of disappeared wait for justice even 16 years
after end of insurgency : Government and parties
want to settle transitional justice process
without ensuring justice to victims, say
activists, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Shortage
of textbooks affects studies in Far-west hill
districts : Students, teachers left in the lurch
while authorities concerned appear indifferent,
by Menuka Dhungana and Tripti Shahi (kp), Unified
Socialist : A Cog In Ruling Alliance,
by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Demolition
of illegally constructed buildings: A step in
the right direction, by Jiba Raj Pokharel
(ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
29/08/2022: Nepal’s
human rights defenders, conflict victims seek UN
support to correct flaws in transitional justice
bill : Rights activists and conflict victims'
organizations wrote to the UN Secretary General
drawing the attention of the latter toward the
flawed transitional justice bill (nlt), Lawmakers
demand voting right of those Nepali residing
abroad (kh) [Both
the Oli and Deuba governments have shown no
interest in implementing a SC directive to that
effect!], Parties
are fighting upcoming elections on usual planks
: Congress will harp on democracy, UML will
continue with ultranationalism, Maoists promise
to shore up constitution, and Madhesh parties
will press for constitution amendment, by
Purushottam Poudel (kp), Paradox
of free education : Government schools haven’t
been able to operate in a manner that would
guarantee schooling at no cost (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
28/08/2022: Coalition
close yet far on seat-sharing as individual
claims too high : Congress sticks to 100
constituencies, which partners say too many, as
their demands are also big, by Anil Giri
(kp) [The decline of
democracy is accelerated, urgently needed young
forces are not given a chance, a necessary
inclusion of traditionally excluded groups of
society is farther away than ever! Once again,
the old failed politicians will be in the
foreground, who nevertheless consider themselves
indispensable!], School
education is free but public schools are forced
to raise fee : Politicians themselves admit
party leaders are unwilling to give due
attention to public schools because many leaders
have invested in private academic institutions,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [An
aspect of corruption!], Is
Nepal Trapped in Geopolitical and Geostrategic
Rivalry?, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (rep), Shun
Politics Over Citizenship Issue : The
citizenship should be a means of connecting
citizens and mustering their loyalty to the
nation but it has unfortunately divided the
political spectrum, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)
[The Citizenship Act
divides Nepal's citizens into those with full
rights (males) and those with limited rights
(females). It is the prime example of
discrimination against women in an
arch-patriarchal society!], NA
approves proposal on citizenship bill (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
27/08/2022: The
many controversies of President Bidya Devi
Bhandari : Nepal’s President is facing criticism
for politicking not because of a one-off
event—there actually is a long list, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), A
sub-alliance within the ruling coalition is in
the making. But why? Observers see move as
bargaining chip for seat-sharing talks, by
Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Dalit
families living on road for two months in
Kailali (ht), The
Rules Of Democratic Game, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
26/08/2022: Bring
Fresh Faces To Leadership, by Yug
Bahadur (rn 26/08/2022) [And this must be
done inclusively. Given the existing
disproportion, at least half should be
women; at least 20 per cent should go to
Dalits; a male Bahun should only be
added if at least three male Bahuns drop
out at the same time!],
Nepal
has world’s highest lung disease deaths, a new
study shows : The high death rate in Nepal,
according to the study, is because of the
failure on the part of the authorities to
effectively regulate air pollutants (nlt) [irresponsible misconduct by
government and authorities!], SC
refuses interim order on writ demanding
expiration of HoR term : The petitioners have
argued that as terms of the House of
Representatives and all the seven provincial
assemblies have ended after the announcement of
the election, all the decisions and actions
taken since then should be annulled (nlt), Nepal
sees a dramatic face-off between executive and
the President over citizenship bill : Both
institutions seem to have played within their
constitutional confines, but political colour is
visible, by Anil Giri (kp), ‘Off
the Cuff’ Population Policy! There is a need for
a paradigm shift in Nepal - from an
anti-natalist to a pro-natalist population
policy - aiding economic growth, by Pradip
Kumar Kafle (rep), Madhes
provincial govt to provide Rs 500,000 to rape
victim Niharika (kh) [Such an insignificant compensation payment
by the provincial government is not justice! The
perpetrator must be severely punished, make
payments to the victim and at least pay for the
maintenance and education of the child.]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
25/08/2022: Teachers
in politics: Can Balen Shah’s directive herald a
dissociation? Although several acts prohibit
teachers from having political affiliation, a
majority of them are openly affiliated with
political parties and are campaigning for them
(nlt) [Excluding certain
professional groups from political activity is a
serious violation of fundamental human rights.
Only the abuse of their professional position,
in the case of teachers for example the
party-political indoctrination of students,
should be legally prosecuted. In democratic
states worldwide, it is normal for teachers to
be politically active.], Educating
voters : The Election Commission needs to ensure
that voters understand the hows and whys of
voting (kp), Mergers
and factions : Given past experience, we might
as well write off the yet-to-be-born party even
before it comes into being, by Deepak Thapa
(kp), Failed
Bids To Form New Parties, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Mediocrity
trap: Constructive criticism of the self helps,
by Simone Galimberti (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
24/08/2022: Merit
and myopia : The marginalised are not snatching
anyone's share of the opportunity pie; the pie
is already too small (kp) [Seat reservations for
Khas-Arya, for example, under the PR system
should also not exist. The overwhelming majority
of the 60 per cent direct mandates are already
given to this section of society!], Qatar
expels Nepali migrant workers for
joining protest : The demonstrating
workers were demanding their backpay,
and they were sent home after being paid
in full, rights activists say, by
Pawan Pandey (kp 24/08/2022) [This regime in
Qatar, which despises human rights, does
not accept the rights of the exploited
and often cheated workers! And the world
interested in football looks on idly and
will celebrate with this regime in
November!], Bill
to amend transitional justice act tabled
in Parliament : Conflict victims and
rights activists have expressed concerns
about some of the provisions and
demanded a review (kp) ,
It
is hypocrisy to call Citizenship Bill
anti-national: Prachanda : Oli had refused to
take the seven-year provision proposal to the
parliament (kh) [As
a woman, you would see this quite differently.
Finally come down from your patriarchal horse
and treat women and men absolutely equally!],
Kathmandu’s
garbage problem becoming international ignominy
: A video clip of CNA news showing garbage heaps
in the capital has triggered public rage against
the politicians and Mayor of Kathmandu. Tourism
entrepreneurs say it will damage Nepal’s
reputation (nlt), Supreme
Court quashes all writ petitions filed
against Public Service Commission
(kh), Supreme
Court scraps petitions challenging civil
servants integration : Court also
revoked integration in some cases
including where civil servants were
adjusted in junior positions than their
previous ones at the local level, by
Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
23/08/2022: Furore
among minorities as inclusion body advises
ending reservations : National Inclusion
Commission report says reservation cannot be a
permanent remedy for empowerment and should
eventually end, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [What else can you expect?
The National Inclusion Commission appointed in
2019 by the Oli covernment, like almost
everything else in this state, is under the
total control of Tagadharis, five men and one
woman. Perhaps it should be renamed the National
Non-Inclusion Commission!], At
least 35 bandh enforcers arrested from different
parts of country (nlt) [Every bandh is a crime against the
citizens, especially when it turns into
militancy!], Bandh
enforcers vandalize bus at Thapagaon (kh), Police arrest 17
for forcibly imposing bandh in Kathmandu
(kh), Strike
cripples normal life in Rolpa (rep), 523
cases against then Maoist leaders have been
cleared: Law Minister (kh) [Crimes were also committed
by the security forces during the uprising and
protected by the politicians in charge at the
time. The law is still not suitable to hold the
perpetrators accountable!], Bill
on Transitional Justice to be presented in HoR
meeting : Law Minister to present Bill on
Enforced Disappeared Persons (kh), Criminal
justice system doesn’t work during conflict, TJ
itself is needed: Minister for Law and Justice
(kh), Government
in a fix as India seeks Nepal’s position on the
Army Agnipath scheme : As India plans to recruit
Nepalis, it has asked Kathmandu for its views.
Officials say they are discussing the matter,
by Anil Giri (kp), Hundreds
of loan sharking victims nationwide come forward
with complaints : As many as 1,937 complaints,
majority from Madhesh, received in eight days.
Victims say protest will continue until
perpetrators are booked, by Nishan Khatiwada
(kp), Preparing
for COP 27 : Waste management has become
a political football that Nepali
politicians enjoy playing, by Sujeev
Shakya (kp), Nepal
needs prudent measures as inflation hits
global level, by Rajendra Koirala
(rep)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
22/08/2022: RDN
Nepal demands implementation of ‘Study report of
freed Kamaiya, Kamlahari, Haruwa-charuwa
Situation’ (kh), Decoding
the controversies over the flawed citizenship
bill : Without paying any heed to the call of
the President for review, the citizenship bill
has again been passed by the House of
Representatives. Frankly, this smacks of
political hooliganism, by Bhagirath Basnet
(nlt), Niharika
Rajput breaks hunger strike on 17th day
(nlt), Did
Maoists abandon the issue of “inclusion” and
equal representation?, by Sunita Bhul (kp) [Without any doubt, this
process already started with the elections to
the first CA. After its defeat in the elections
to the second CA, the party has forgotten all
the ideals for whose implementation 17,000
people had to lose their lives!], ‘The
upcoming elections will be fairer and impartial’
: Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya on poll
preparations, efforts to minimise invalid votes,
and checking overspending (interview) (kp
22/08/2022) [An election
that is manipulated in advance by the party
leaders in a non-inclusive way can hardly be
called fair!], Border
uncertainty in north troubles traders again—
ahead of festivals : Containers holding goods
imported for Dashain remain stranded at check
points since last week, by Krishana Prasain
(kp) [China is proving
to be an extremely unreliable trading partner!
Nepal should be very careful about closer
cooperation!], 2021
population of Nepal: Projected vs enumerated,
by Yagya Bahadur Karki (ht), Despite
shortage within Nepal, government signs
agreement to send nurses to Britain : Nepal on
Monday signed an MoU to send at least 200
licensed nurses to the UK. Observers say this
could result in a shortage of nurses in Nepal,
by Shrutika Raut (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
21/08/2022: International
community expresses concern over transitional
justice process : Diplomats during their
meetings urge Deuba and Dahal to address
victims’ grievances, as the government prepares
to table the amendment bill in Parliament,
by Anil Giri (kp), Inclusivity
just a refrain in Maoist party, as it fails to
practise what it preaches : Party picks 21
office bearers with just one woman, two
Madheshis, four Janajatis—none from Dalit,
Muslim communities, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Oligarchy and nepotism are
features of all Nepali political
parties, including the CPN (Maoist
Centre)!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
20/08/2022: Campaign
spending expected to increase inflationary
pressure : Nepal’s inflation was recorded at
8.08 percent in July when the fiscal year
closed, which is double last year’s figure,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), Int'l
communities wish for success of Nepal's unique
model of peace process (rep) [The world community should
know that Nepal's peace process is anything but
unique. Since 2006, justice for the victims from
the time of the Maoist insurgency and thus the
conclusion of the peace process has been
deliberately denied by the political elite!],
KMC
yet to find alternative places to dump waste
(rn) [How about
Baluwatar? Most of the " rubbish " is produced
there anyway!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
19/08/2022: Malnutrition
threat for pregnant women, new mums, children
displaced by disasters : Nutritionists recommend
distributing nutritious foods instead of
noodles, biscuits and beaten rice to displaced
people, by Arjun Poudel (kp), The
bill that was and the bill this is: What
did King Birendra do with the bill to
amend Citizenship Act 1964 that became a
topic of discussion after President
Bhandari returned the bill to amend
Citizenship Act 2006?, by Tika R
Pradhan and Tufan Neupane (kp) [Whatever is being
discussed now, the fundamental problem
is the unequal treatment of Nepali women
and men based on arch-patriarchal
thinking. The very predominantly male
persons of the ruling elite do not want
to change this now either. Article 18 of
the constitution, as the overriding
fundamental rights article, prohibits
precisely this unequal treatment, which
is still maintained. In other words,
Nepal's citizenship law continues to be
blatantly unconstitutional. The current
discussion is pure palaver.],
“This
is the last opportunity for senior political
leaders” : "Politics with ideals seems out of
sight of late", interview with Deep Kumar
Upadhyaya (kh), Beset
by disputes and splits, Madhesh parties are
fighting for relevance in their own base :
Janata Samajbadi and Loktantrik Samajbadi are in
negotiations with bigger parties eying better
prospects in November polls, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), Employees,
teachers to be deployed in November 20 elections
(kh) [This is only
legitimate if the right of these people to vote
remains guaranteed!], Seven
years since constitution promulgation local
governments await federal education Act : The
federal government has yet to ready a bill for
the law and the term of the current Parliament
is ending in four months with elections
announced for November 20, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [Another grave
failure of the Oli and Deuba governments which
shows the continuing centralisitic mindset!],
Young
Turks not getting their turn : It is natural
that Nepalis want a generational change in
government, but age alone does not guarantee
competence and honesty (nt), Engaging
Youth In Local Governance process, by Keshab
Poudel (sp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
18/08/2022: Seeing
Kathmandu’s garbage crisis from the perspective
of Banchare Danda and Sisdole : What may seem
like a garbage problem for millions of citizens
of Kathmandu is a life or death crisis for the
people of Banchare Danda and Sisdole. It is a
human development crisis, an existential
ecosystem crisis, by Simone Galimberti
(nlt), Islands
of waste : Our understanding of what constitutes
waste and how we manage it should change
(kp), Beyond
graduation : People want the country to
'actually' graduate from LDC status, not
just on paper, by Bhoj Raj Poudel
(kp), Nepal
aims 100 percent electricity
access by 2024 : The country’s
92.52 percent population was
connected to electricity by the
end of the last fiscal year,
by Pawan Pandey (kp), Why
Politicians Need Moral
Integrity?, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Integrity
in leadership: Ways to enhance
it, by Ramesh Ghimire (ht),
CIAA
gets notice for inaction
on graft : Refusal to
act lets brigadier
general, former
ambassador to US go scot
free (ht)
see
also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
17/08/2022: Ritualistic
conduct of elections : Unless street protests
erupt once again, Nepal is doomed to endure more
of the same, by CK Lal (kp), Election
Commission says 84 parties applied to contest
upcoming general elections (nlt), Eighty-four
parties apply to contest November elections :
Twelve parties have formed four groups to fight
the elections under four different poll symbols,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Extremely
confusing for the voters and, according to
section 49 of the PPA, ultimately with loss of
identity for those parties that contest under
the electoral symbol of another party!],
Anxiety
of performance : Politicians form an electoral
alliance with an eye on power and position
rather than ideological integrity (kp), Alliance
seat-sharing gets knottier as Maoist Centre has
Bhattarai, Gautam into its fold : Ruling
coalition wants Dahal to accommodate the new
entrants in his party’s own share, instead of
asking to adjust them as well, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Unified
Socialist to forward unification process with
Maoist Center (kh), Parties
agree to revise proposed changes to Transitional
Justice Act : Some provisions in the amendment
bill have met with widespread criticism over
fears that they may be used to grant amnesty to
perpetrators, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal
receives record Rs 1 trillion in remittances
(nlt), 115,131
local election candidates yet to submit
expenditure statements (kh), 7.8
percent population at risk of severe food crisis
in Nepal despite sufficient reserve (rn), Announcement
of federal, provincial poll: Opening vistas of
possibilities, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
16/08/2022: Victims
protest planned changes to transitional justice
law : During a demonstration on Monday, conflict
victims and civil society members said the
current bill drafted to amend the law favours
the perpetrators and is unacceptable, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Nov
20 polls: Deadline for party registration at EC
ends today (kh), Ruling
coalition decides to send the Citizenship Bill
to the President as it is (kh) [In any case, the patriarchal
thinking enshrined in citizenship law lives on
and is against the constitution, irrespective of
the President's intentions!], Coalition
task force near compromise on four
criteria for seat-sharing : Members mull
FPTP and PR seats won in 2017, May poll
performance, and priority to top leaders
to split seats, by Anil Giri (kp) [May democracy rest
in peace!],
Nepali
Army and US Army to conduct joint training from
today (kh) [This
would be comparable to the joint training of the
Chinese and Mexican armies close to the US
border! The USA should refrain from unnecessary
Chinese provocations on Nepalese territory as
soon as possible!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
15/08/2022: NHRC
furnishes 12-point suggestion to govt on bill
relating to transitional justice (kh), Rights
body wants transitional justice process to
address minors’ issue : Bill to amend law fails
to take cognisance of the use of children in
insurgency, rights activists say, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Dismantling
patriarchy : Fielding a woman candidate is
considered risky by the male-dominated parties
in Nepal (kp), President
Bhandari returns citizenship bill to Parliament
calling for review : Head of state returns bill,
endorsed by both houses, listing concerns as she
stresses swift passage of citizenship law,
by Tika R Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Parties
need not criticize President’s withdrawal of
Citizenship Bill: NC leader Thapa (kh), Tarun Dal demands
President Bhandari’s resignation (kh), Baburam
Bhattarai comes full circle seven years after
quitting Maoist party : Looming polls and poor
prospects force the former Maoist to join hands
with Dahal. Bhattarai’s Nepal Samajbadi will
contest election under the Maoist symbol and
manifesto, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Questions
of inclusivity arise over Sunday’s Karnali
Cabinet reshuffle : There are eight members in
the Cabinet—all men from the Khas-Arya community,
by Jyotee Katuwal (kp) [Nepal
urgently needs a rejection option in the
electoral law if this oppressive male Tagadhari
dominance is to end!], Cadres
of ruling parties obstruct garbage disposal at
Banchare Danda landfill (nlt), Nepal
waits for consumer courts while business
malpractices soar : Consumer rights activists
accuse the government of holding back on setting
up consumer courts due to lobbying by
manufacturers and traders, by Krishana
Prasain (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
14/08/2022: How
political parties in Nepal are failing in
moralistic culture and civic responsibility :
Despite making initial brisk contributions in
toppling the contemporary regime and inducing
few social changes, political parties in Nepal
have not been successful in establishing a long
lasting political culture, by Pushpa R Joshi
(nlt), President
returns Citizenship Bill to HoR for
reconsideration (nlt), LSP
and NSP want to join ruling alliance as election
nears (rep) [All
parties should form an alliance and divide the
seats among themselves. Then there would be no
need for elections at all, the money saved could
be distributed among the politicians and the
latter could claim that Nepal has the best
democracy in the world!], Prachanda
and Dr. Bhattarai inching closer on single
election symbol and manifesto agenda (kh) [Two parties, one claiming to
be communist, the other socialist, but the same
election symbol and manifesto? The Political
Party Act does not seem to interest these
politicians!], Poles
apart for around a decade, Prachanda and Baburam
to forge electoral alliance (nlt), In
Congress, rival faction ups the ante
seeking fair share of seats for its
leaders, by Anil Giri (kp) [This is selfish in
the interest of the old failed and
non-inclusive top politicians. Adequate
participation of women, Dalits and other
marginalised groups would be much more
important!]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
13/08/2022: Voices
grow for fair representation of women as major
elections near : Women leaders complain parties
field fewer women for direct election. Experts
blame the patriarchal mindset, by Nishan
Khatiwada (kp), How
the state is failing the poor as they fall prey
to loan sharks : Poor access to finance lies at
the root of the problem just as shylocks enjoy
nexus with the people in power to fleece poor
communities in rural areas, experts say, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Should
a mother be ready to self-immolate for a DNA
test of her child? This is just too much: KMC
Mayor Shah (rep), Cultural
Thrills Of Progress, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
12/08/2022: Forgetting
to remember : Proposed amendments to Nepal’s
Transitional Justice Act marks some progress,
but will not provide justice to victims, by
Sahina Shrestha (nt), Agencies
working in health, gender sectors in Nepal fall
short on gender equality : Only a third of
Nepal’s non-governmental organisations sampled
are led by women and have gender parity in
senior management, new report shows, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Provincial
governments set to end their first terms without
enjoying key rights : Supreme Court’s
Constitutional Bench has been sitting on dozens
of petitions relating to jurisdiction disputes
between three tiers of government, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), The
judiciary: Don't violate its sanctity, by
Jagadish Dahal (ht), China
imposes unannounced blockade at Rasuwagadhi,
Tatopani border entry points (kh), Police
detain single mother Niharika Rajput who
attempted self-immolation at the President’s
Office (rep) [This
raped woman needs justice and medical help, not
arrest! What kind of policy is that?]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
11/08/2022: When
the victims are further victimized, by
Anushka Nepal (ae), Politics
and courage : Their contribution to democracy is
so great that we are expected to remember the
past and be content, by Deepak Thapa (kp) As
Congress eyes majority, Maoist Centre wants to
be kingmaker : A tug of war starts in the ruling
coalition, with partners working to go to polls
together but also attempting to limit each other,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Ruling
coalition mull current strength of parties in
parliament for seat distribution (kh), Karnali
still short of 60,000 textbooks
(rep), Local
Governance In Federal System, by
Mukti Rijal (rn), ‘Flood
is bad, govt's dishonesty worse’, by
Upendra Lamichhane (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV :
morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
10/08/2022: The
1949 Geneva Conventions and Nepal :
International humanitarian law has a bearing on
Nepal’s stalled transitional justice process,
by Krishna Chandra Chalisey (kp), Lacuna
in Nepali history: Giving rise to jingoism,
by Nishant Pokharel (ht), Generation
Democracy: Meet a Nepali youth who is working
for advancing youth leadership : Jagdish
Ayer, a youth activist, has been working for the
engagement of Nepali youth in political
processes through mock parliament and other
activities (nlt), Provincial
poll declaration should be provinces’
prerogative, observers say : Federalism yet to
be embraced in a true sense with the centralised
mindset refusing to go, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Ruling
parties engage in discussion on allocation of
Kathmandu constituencies (kh) [Die fast, democracy!],
Bhattarai
keen to join ruling coalition (ht), Is
Deuba leading a caretaker Cabinet? Depends on
who you ask : Ruling party leaders say the
government is not caretaker; opposition says
otherwise. Experts are equally divided, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Unlike
KP Oli after his failed vote of confidence in
2021, the current government is to be regarded
as a legally elected government until a new
prime minister is elected and not a caretaker
government if the state is to remain capable of
acting! For the same reason, parliament is in
office until a new parliament is elected and may
not be dissolved prematurely!], Poor
and damned : State must act to extricate the
poor from the teeth of loan sharks (kp), Hefty
salary hike proposed for these five VVIPs!
(rep)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
09/08/2022: “Party
reins should be given to younger generation”,
interview with Manikar Karki (kh), As
elections approach, some are calling for not
repeating old faces : Observes say just changing
a small set of leaders may not suffice amid
degrading political culture, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [The SC's
2014 directive is binding law for the executive
and the legislature. Prompt implementation would
have meant that probably none of the top
politicians who consider themselves
indispensable would still be politically active
today, which would be incredibly good for Nepal!
Given the disenfranchisement of the electorate
through the alliance manipulations of the
parties, the NOTA option would be more important
than ever!], Preserving
heritage : Prioritising locals in restoring
important landmarks would help alleviate
unemployment (kp), Will
Nepal vote for change? Hopefully, we can
eliminate some of the faces that have spread
negativity amongst Nepalis, by Sujeev Shakya
(kp) [How is that
supposed to work? The failed politicians at the
top of the parties have already initiated
anti-democratic measures to prevent change!],
Coalition
Seat-sharing Onus On NC, Maoist Centre, by
Narayan Upadhyay (rn) [Voters
should not vote for candidates of a party they
do not want to vote for. The party leaders'
request is completely undemocratic and leads the
party system and thus ultimately parliamentary
democracy ad absurdum!], Only
national ID card holders can take medical
entrance exams now, by Ruby Rauniyar (rep)
[The problem is less
likely to be with foreign students. As the
patriarchal Tagadhari state continues to deny
citizenship to millions, admission will only be
for those whose fathers can be shown to hold
Nepali citizenship. Women ever do not count as
equal full human beings!], Deliberation
begins on proposal of urgent public importance
on proportional representation of women
(rn), Derogatory
names of Dalits in citizenship papers kick up a
row (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
08/08/2022: Man
attempts to burn wife, mother-in-law to death :
The mother sustained serious burn injuries on
her back, arms and leg while her daughter
sustained injuries on her chest, arms and legs,
by Santosh Singh (kp), Rana
impeachment motion sent to probe
committee, but time is running out :
Proposal can’t pass the House without
the support of UML, which seems
disinterested in ruling coalition’s
agenda, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Police
transfers after announcing election date
raise concerns : Observers say a
caretaker government should stick to
day-to-day administrative work rather
than taking decisions that could
influence the scheduled elections,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Running
out of time : Outgoing lawmakers are
oddly rushing to pass bills after
sitting on their hands for years
(kp), Passage
of bill on electricity becomes
uncertain. Energy minister mulls
ordinance : An amendment that aims to
allow the private sector to engage in
power trade inside and outside the
country has become uncertain with the
country entering election mode, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [At least since KP
Oli's autocratic rule, Nepali
governments have preferred ordinances
anyway!], Deuba
asks Thakur to join ruling
alliance, govt (rep
08/08/2022) [Surely all parties should
join together in an electoral
alliance. Then the often failed
top politicians would agree on a
single common candidate for each
constituency and voters would no
longer have to worry about whom
to vote for. Wouldn't that be
flawless democracy?], First meeting of Seat
Allocation Task Force of ruling
alliance being held (rn) [This is
anti-democracy: the choice must
be made by the people and not by
the party leaders!]
see also
news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
07/08/2022: Nepal’s
geopolitical catch as Washington and Beijing
lock horns over Taiwan crisis : In case Nepal
finds itself in the US-China geopolitical push
and pull over the Taiwan question, how should it
handle the situation?, by Mahabir Paudyal
(nlt), South
Asia in the Midst of Cold War 2.0, by Binoj
Basnyat (kh), Party
registration for upcoming elections begins today
(kh), Parties’
move to keep House working even after declaring
polls raises questions : Experts say with
elections announced, the caretaker government
cannot present bills in Parliament, as some new
laws may lead to policy decisions, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Mutual
Insults Mar Left Movement, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn), Why
do DGs and secretaries change when ministers
change?, by Bhuwan Sharma (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
06/08/2022: Nepal’s
phallocentric worldview on citizenship : The
phallocentric world view that has seeped into
the power structures of Nepal for generations
explains why the citizenship bill has a
provision requiring a Nepali mother to prove
that the phallus is a Nepali, by Mukesh
Baral (nlt), Civil
society calls for scrapping Chinese development
project BRI (kh), With
House term nearing end, parties are trying to
rush Rana impeachment : UML and ruling coalition
lawmakers say time is too short for probing and
putting the motion to vote, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Democracy
Is Not Zero-Sum Game, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
Is
the burden of foreign debt in Nepal alarming?,
by Ram Chandra Rupakheti (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
05/08/2022: Elections
announced for November 20 : Around 18.6 million
voters estimated to have been registered for the
upcoming elections, with around 1 million added
since the May 13 local level polls. Election
Commission says 107 days enough for preparations,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The
right to set an election date in the provinces
lies with the respective provincial government
and not with the central government! Nepal is a
federal state! By the way, this also applies to
local elections!], Election
calculation : After vacillating, Nepal's
coalition finally agrees to 20 November for
elections, by Santa Gaha Magar (nt), Deluge
and after : The marginalised population should
not be left behind while providing flood victims
with relief (kp), Police
detain single mother Niharika Rajput (rep) ["Justice" or what the
government and leading politicians mean by it!],
Niharika
Rajput arrested yet again : Rajput, a single
mother from Jaleshwar Municipality 9 Mahottari,
has been staging a series of hunger strikes for
the past few months demanding justice for
herself and her young son (nlt), SC
summons Tourism Minister Shrestha over contempt
charge (rep), Foreign
Aid Fails To Fix Inequality, by Aarati
Neupane (rn), Formation
of electoral alliance by ruling parties is
against constitution: Bhim Rawal (rep) [But it was perfectly fine
for the two left parties to form an electoral
alliance in 2017 that gave them a landslide
victory? Afterwards, it became clear that these
parties did not have much in common either and
that their top politicians were only concerned
with power, whatever the cost! Yes, electoral
alliances are ultimately a betrayal of the
electorate, whose concerns are simply ignored!],
Nepal
minister’s return shows anything goes : Tainted
finance minister’s reinstatement underscores
coalition government’s moral bankruptcy
(nt), Nepal
economic crisis getting deeper, by Keshab
Poudel (sp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
04/08/2022: Unholy
acts : Ruling coalition and main opposition
party are united in their misplaced priorities
(kp), Monthly
allowance to families of martyrs and disappeared
persons (kh) [related
to Tarakhola RM in Baglung only: This is
good help but not justice!], Ruling
coalition reaches understanding to hold
elections on November 20 : Some issues remain
though including transitional justice act and
seat-sharing, which leaders say will be sorted
out, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt
decides to hold federal, provincial elections on
Nov 20 (kh), Almost
all water from small suppliers in the Valley is
contaminated, officials say : Most of the small
projects are found to be neglecting chlorination
and other water purification procedures before
supplying water to households taps, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Temporary
police to be recruited for November 20 elections
(rep) [It is the duty of
the government to ensure that all Nepalis can
exercise their right to vote, including deployed
security forces, polling agents, migrant
workers, etc.], Is
Nepal heeding the warning signs from Sri Lanka’s
economic crisis? Certain indicators show Nepal
is heading towards the path of economic
mismanagement like that of Sri Lanka, by
Bhagirath Basnet (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
03/08/2022: Opportunists
Dominate Politics, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn),
Women
in politics : We can expect true representation
of women and others only after our democracy
takes deep roots (ht) [And this will definitely not happen as
long as any of today's so-called top politicians
turn the levers of patriarchal and non-inclusive
power!], Oli
bids to couple his nationalist rhetoric with
Hindu constituency : Observers say the third
plank the UML leader is likely to use is the
incumbent government’s shenanigans, by Anil
Giri (kp), History,
memory and identity : There is nothing like a
theatrical performance to capture the
absurdities of a complex life, by CK Lal
(kp), Coalition
partners agree to hold parliamentary, provincial
polls on Nov 20 (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
02/08/2022: MPs
demand 50 per cent FPTP tickets for women,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Deuba
outdoes himself : He has fortified his legacy as
a repeat offender when it comes to endangering
the rule of law (kp), State
capture by ‘Kathmandu Cocoon’ : A highly
cemented network of the ruling elite decides
everything related to state affairs, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Amendment
to Act imperative to enforce Palermo Protocol
(kh), New
dispute hovers over judiciary with acting chief
justice and justices at odds : The recent rift
is over whether to allow the anti-graft body to
investigate the construction of a new court
building, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Resettle
All Freed Kamaiyas, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
01/08/2022: Deuba,
Dahal have much to answer in finance minister
case, observers say : Sharma’s reappointment as
finance minister points to a bigger and sinister
nexus beneath the veneer of alliance the prime
minister and Maoist chair harp on about, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Protest
to amend Transitional Justice Bill (ht), Government
plans to hold elections on November 20 : The
dillydallying in declaring the date has prompted
some to speculate if the ruling coalition is
planning to delay the polls, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Arrest
warrant issued against Biplav (nlt), Arrest
warrant issued against Biplav, including others
(kh), Freed
Kamalaris staying at Dang hostel seek help for
sustenance : For a lack of sufficient funds, the
living conditions for 37 students in the hostel
have worsened, by Durgalal KC (kp), EC
directs govt to take action against employees
who are members of political parties, by
Smriti Dhungana (rep), Public
post holder with political affiliation will face
action: EC (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
31/07/2022: Is
Nepal losing democracy?, by Ganga Bahadur
Thapa (kh), Federalized
Approach to Transitional Justice Process, by
Preeti Mittal (kh), Conflict
victims protest demanding revisions in amendment
bill : Several organisations of the conflict
victims from the decade-long Maoist insurgency,
and civil society members protested at Maitighar
Mandala on Sunday (kp), Epitome
of misrule: Janardan Sharma’s reappointment as
Finance Minister is a glaring evidence that the
rot runs deep in Nepal (nlt), Indiscriminate
use of pesticides taking toll on farmers in
Tarai : There’s a lack of awareness and
monitoring, which impacts not only those who use
the chemicals but also those who consume the
produce, experts say, by Om Prakash Thakur,
Shiva Puri & Krishana Prasain (kp), Nepali
Army detonates a ‘bomb’ found near Bajura Police
Office (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
30/07/2022: Imperatives
Of Citizen Empowerment, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), NHRC
settles 412 complaints (rn), Enhance
Nepal’s Diplomatic Capability, by Shyam
Prasad Mainali (rn), Govt
to provide free of cost treatment to acid attack
survivors (rep) [It
is the government's duty to prevent acid
attacks. This includes, first of all, a strict
control of the sale of acid!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
29/07/2022: Are
women not Nepali enough?, by Sahina Shrestha
(nt) [see chart
by Subin Mulmi (Twitter)], Class
differences : Instead of leveling the playing
field, a flawed education system is entrenching
social inequity in Nepal (nt), Institutions
play a vital role to ensure that people exercise
their rights : “There is a big gap between what
the political parties and civil society leaders
profess to do and what they actually do. That’s
basically the reason why people are losing trust
in them”, interview with Shibesh Chandra
Regmi, Social Analyst (nlt), Shrewd
Prachanda: Batting for another political mileage,
by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh), No
clarity on Rs500 billion microfinance fund meant
for lending to farmers : Officials say they are
working on a concept paper on how to make the
scheme proposed in the budget for this fiscal
year work for farmers, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Acknowledging
the independents’ reality : They promise
effective governance, corruption eradication,
and overall, a political overhaul, by Saugat
Raj Gautam (kp), Austerity
Must Begin From Top, by Yug Bahadur (rn), Lawmakers
sound alert on 'anti-federalism voices' raised
in parliament, call for a ban (rn), Kidney
racket found active in Kathmandu Valley
: Street children and homeless people
are among those extremely vulnerable,
by Arun Bam (rep), China’s
BRI will lead Nepal to debt trap
besides undermining sovereignty,
experts warn (kh)
see
also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
28/07/2022: How
patriarchy promotes violence against women,
by Cilla Khatry (ae), Uncertainty
looms over transitional justice amid delays in
tabling bill : As conflict victims, rights
activists and international rights bodies cry
foul at some provisions, those involved in
drafting the bill say there’s a lack of
political will, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
bill to amend Nepal’s Citizenship Act faces
public backlash yet again. Here is why : Instead
of allowing members of the concerned
parliamentary committee to have comprehensive
discussions, the ruling coalition chose to pass
the bill through a fast-track method (nlt),
Despite
reservation quotas for minorities, Brahmins
continue to dominate civil service : Forty-five
percent civil service seats are reserved for
women, indigenous groups, Madhesis, Dalits,
people with disabilities and those from backward
regions, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [This does not only apply to
civil service!], Why
are parties hesitating to fight elections on
their own?, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Lawmakers
demand removal of road obstructions (kh), Unwanted
Nepalis : That Nepalis are considered
‘escape-prone’ and ‘mannerless’ has a lot to do
with the wretched state of their homeland
(ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
27/07/2022: “Nepal
seriously needs statesmanship” : People should
discard candidates over 65 years of age in
elections, interview with Mumaram Khanal
(kh) [An excellent
suggestion!], NIC
directs public sector, political parties to
implement right to information (kh), Employing
dhami-jhankri to promote dignified menstruation
: Faith healers commit to ensuring dignity of
menstruators in Sudurpaschim and Karnali, by
Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Can’t
import food forever : We should work hard
towards improving food security domestically
(kp), US
Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu arriving
on Thursday : The top American official’s visit,
second since MCC passage, comes amid debate in
Nepal over the State Partnership Program
(kp) [Continued
interference in the interests of global American
power, but the citizens are in any case not
informed about the content in advance!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
26/07/2022: Chitwan
sees increased number of sexual violence cases
(kh), Sexual
violence on the rise in Chitwan (rep), Why
auditor general’s annual reports are more ritual
and less effective : Experts point at factors
like frequent transfers of secretaries and
lethargy of oversight bodies, because of which
despite irregularities, hardly anyone is held to
account, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Socialist
Centre: A Bargaining Chip?, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn), A
cautious Congress keeps close eye on communists
in view of Dahal’s wiles : Maoist Centre chair’s
active initiatives to build a left alliance in
the name of socialist centre cause suspicion,
with some wondering if it’s former rebel
leader’s latest subterfuge, by Anil Giri
(kp), Former
PM Dr. Bhattarai forming Nepal Samajwadi
Party (kh), ‘Real
peace dividend should be equally
distributed to sustain peace in Nepal’ :
“Nepal should stand for peace at home
and beyond. Achieving lasting peace
should be the primary agenda of all
state and non-state actors”,
interview with Rabina Shrestha, Country
Director, International Alert (nlt), Dirty
money everywhere: Is Nepal on the verge
of being blacklisted for money
laundering? (nlt)
see also
news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
25/07/2022: Everything
you need to know about new amendment to the
Citizenship Act : Amendment opens the door for
thousands of children of parents who got
citizenship by birth to acquire citizenship by
descent; non-resident Nepalis are also eligible
for citizenship, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
[A step yes, but still
stuck in patriarchal thinking!], Upper
House approves proposal on Nepal Citizenship
Bill (rep), International
rights groups call for amendment to Nepal’s
transitional justice bill : New draft falls
short of promised reforms to protect victims’
rights, the rights organisations say (kp)
[see statement
by AI, HRW, ICJ and TRIAL], ‘Bill
to Amend Transitional Justice Law will
not fully provide justice to victims’
(kh), Exorbitant
cost of justice : Lawyers are expensive, free
legal aid is fiction, and the court fees are not
negligible, by Nishant Pokharel (kp), Prachanda
in favor of changing current election system and
form of governance (kh) [As a first step, all the failed old
politicians, like you, Oli, Deuba, etc., should
retire from politics. Then the Political Parties
Act would have to be fundamentally revised and
democratised. After that, a way would have to be
found to abolish patriarchy and make the state
and national identity socially inclusive!],
Reshaping
Indigenous Movement in Nepal, by Krishna K
Shrestha (rep), The
center cannot hold : Some tendencies to
centralize powers were expected in the early
days of federalism but its continuation even
after five years of completion of the
federalisation process is problematic, by
Yatindra KC (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
24/07/2022: Coalition
partners want to stick together but there is
trust deficit : The Congress and the communists
are suspicious of each other even as they harp
on fighting the polls in alliance, by Anil
Giri (kp), Can
Socialist Centre Sail Smoothly?, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn), Upper
house awaits vice-chair for months as parties
show lack of interest in electing one :
Lawmakers say the vice-chair position must not
be left vacant because it is a constitutional
position and is important in terms of inclusion,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The
autocratic leading politicians never respect the
constitution!], Who
counts in #Me Too? One woman received an
outpouring of support, the other continues to
fight on her own, by Nisha Shah (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
23/07/2022: House
endorses bill to amend Citizenship Act : Once
the bill gets through upper house, children of
parents who got citizenship by birth will get
citizenship by descent, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Lower
House fast tracks citizenship bill : Foreign
women marrying Nepalis will not have to wait to
obtain matrimonial naturalisation (ht) [But citizenship continues to
be based exclusively on the birth status of men,
not women, who continue to be denied the same
basic rights as men!], Monetary
policy reins in credit expansion to control
inflation : Most of the credit issued went into
import financing which contributed to a
ballooning balance of payments deficit and
decrease in foreign exchange reserves, officials
say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Monetary
Policy focuses on controlling credit flow for
this fiscal, by Kiran Lama (ht), Malnutrition
a serious health crisis in Darchula : As many as
537 children in the district aged between 6
months and five years were found suffering from
malnutrition in the last fiscal year 2021-22,
by Manoj Badu (kp), Bringing
Skills Back? Lessons for Nepal’s Future
Migration Policy Approach, by Froilan Malit
Jr and Anurag Devkota (rep), Civic
Loyalty Key To National Sovereignty, by Dev
Raj Dahal (rn), Amid
geopolitical push and pull, experts advise
caution to Nepal in relations with China and the
US (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
22/07/2022: Nepal
in a few words : Explaining the country in words
that pervade our public discourse, by Amish
Raj Mulmi (kp) [An
outstanding analysis!] ,
Rein
In Growing Arrears, by Yug Bahadur (rn), Doubtful
of alliance, ruling partners seek ‘package deal’
despite Congress’ poll pledge : No clarity on
agreement but insiders say there are calls for
power-sharing besides seat distributions before
elections, by Anil Giri (kp), Speaker
is a failure—and ineffective, observers say :
Chosen after a struggle between Oli and Dahal,
Agni Sapkota is confused about his role and has
failed to be assertive, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Knock,
knock: Nepal’s leaders show political
promiscuity as the November elections near,
by Shristi Karki (nt), Geopolitical
tug-o-war over Nepal : As the country nears
elections in November, domestic politics
increasingly gets tangled up in regional
rivalries (nt), No
closure after Nepal’s insurgency : Sixteen years
after the conflict ended, families still
struggle for transitional justice, by
Mandira Sharma and Mohna Ansari (nt), Impunity
through immunity : The Bill to amend the
transitional justice act exempts perpetrators of
war crimes committed during the Maoist
insurgency, by Raju Prasad Chapagai (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
21/07/2022: Conflict
victims call to rectify amendment bill on
transitional justice : They have called the
government to re-work the Bill to ensure that
the Bill complies with national, and
international laws and the decisions of the
Supreme Court (nlt), Victims
object to proposed changes in laws that aim to
absolve perpetrators : There’s demand for
withdrawal of the bill registered in parliament
secretariat to amend the transitional justice
Act so as to make it in line with the 2015
Supreme Court order, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Justice still elusive : The transitional justice
process is not ending anytime soon (ae), 39
rights organisations call for rectifying
Transitional Justice Law Amendment Bill
(rn), In
light of policy gap : Lack of opportunities at
home means the trend of mass departures will
likely continue (kp) [There continues to be a complete lack of
interest in ensuring the right of people to work
in their own country!], Why
Alternative Forces Fail In Nepal?, by Mukti
Rijal (rn) [Mostly,
these forces are not "alternative" at all. Just
take the ideas of Rabindra Mishra, who
understands a return to Hindu monarchy and a
renunciation of secularism and federalism as
"alternative" in the interest of the traditional
patriarchal elite!], Dahal
will settle for nothing less than prime
minister’s chair, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai
(ae), Weak
spine a threat for Nepal : Our functionaries
lacking the spine to stand for Nepal has been a
chronic problem spanning decades, by
Devendra Gautam (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
20/07/2022: NHRC
draws government’s attention to transitional
justice (kh), The
pedagogy of spiritual secularity : Secularism is
necessary to secure the fundamental freedoms of
the downtrodden, by CK Lal (kp), Freedom
for Haliyas a long shot even after 14 years of
supposed emancipation : A good number of former
bonded farm labourers in Sudurpaschim and
Karnali find themselves in the dredges of
poverty and privation, by Basanta Pratap
Singh and Arjun Shah (kp), Left
parties intensify election-centric exercises in
the name of Socialist Center (kh), Leftists
in Congress-led coalition discuss socialist
centre idea : Dahal, Bhattarai and Unified
Socialist leaders explore possibility of a left
front as observers wonder if the bid is aimed at
creating a sub-alliance minus UML for the
upcoming polls, by Anil Giri (kp), Geopolitical
Tremors In Nepal, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
19/07/2022: Criminalised
politics, politicised institutions : Leaders
need money to finance elections to secure
victory for their cronies, relatives and
sycophants, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Policy
failures drive Nepalis to seek their fortunes
abroad : In the last fiscal year, more than
628,503 people received labour permits, the
second highest number on record, by Pawan
Pandey (kp), Rabindra
Mishra stands in favor of restoration of
constitutional monarchy in Nepal :
Earlier through a political dossier,
Mishra had formally proposed abolition
of federalism, and a referendum on
secularism (nlt) [The bottom line is
that this is a call for a coup d'état,
as the most important foundations of the
constitution are to be wiped out and
replaced by failed non-inclusive
institutions of the past!], Economic
Crisis Blown Out Of Proportion, by
Uttam Maharjan (rn), Only
0.30pc news stories have bylines of
female journalists in Nepali media
(ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
18/07/2022: No
short-changing : Conflict victims and rights
activists have voiced dissatisfaction with
several provisions in the proposed law (kp),
Ensure
security personnel, staff on poll day get to
vote: SC, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NIC
empowered to recommend action against rights
violators (ht) [Given
the strict denial of social inclusion by the
ruling male Tagadhari elite, there should be
endless complaints!], Two
years after disasters, displaced families are
still living in makeshift settlements : In 2020,
a provincial ministry paid 26 times more in
helicopter fares than what it spent on relief
for Sindhupalchok flood and landslide victims,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Inmates
deprived of basic facilities in overcrowded
Morang Prison : The prison is accommodating
inmates more than three times its capacity,
by Binod Bhandari (kp), Dahal
receives warm welcome in Delhi as Nepal’s envoy
is kept cooling his heels : Officials at the
Nepali embassy say they are still awaiting
response from the Indian ministries for formal
meetings with Shankar Sharma, Kathmandu’s
ambassador to India, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Obviously, India still does
not consider Nepal as an independent sovereign
nation!], Nepal’s
geopolitical dilemma : The US is continually
pushing Nepal to the forefront of its China
strategy, shrinking its leeway, by Gao Liang
(kp), Bodies
responsible for improving the sliding economy
are at odds, by Balkrishna Gyawali (rep), A
chance for UML to make people forget its
mistakes as govt becomes unpopular, by
Ishwari Subedi (rep) [The
UML only offers a real alternative if it
separates itself from KP Oli and a few others
who uncritically supported his numerous
constitutional and legal violations. The
failures of that time will not be made better by
the fact that the Deuba government is also
failing!], Export
promotion: Path to attain economic prosperity
for Nepal. Nepal needs to focus on alternative
solutions to prevent the economic turmoil. The
government needs to focus on longer-term
solutions like export promotion, foreign direct
investment, and tourism development, by
Shreya Subedi (nlt 18/07/2022)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
17/07/2022: Amendments
to transitional justice law ‘progressive but not
satisfactory’ : Government registers bill
seeking changes in Act seven years after top
court ruling that struck down amnesty provisions
in serious human rights violations, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Govt
told to ensure voting rights of security
personnel, civil servants and prisoners
(kh), As
Congress debates rationale behind alliance
politics, left parties discuss a communist
front, if not unity : A section in the Congress
party questions Deuba if coalition partners must
fight the upcoming polls together, by Anil
Giri (kp) [All think
only of their power, no one of the country and
the people! Earlier, monarchy and Ranas were
responsible for such misbehaviour, later also
the Panchas. Now the top politicians of the
parties have adopted this "task". How long will
they be allowed to do so? Nepal urgently needs a
generation of honest political leaders without
monarchists, Hindu state fanatics and failed
anti-democratic party leaders!], Proposal
to unify communist parties just a year after
split, by Tapendra Karki (rep) [Obviously, PK Dahal and
MK Nepal were not concerned with substantive
differences last year, but merely wanted to use
the opportunity to get rid of KP Oli in view of
his numerous constitutional violations and
neglect of duty and to assert their own claims
to power.], JSP
row: Dr. Bhattarai to remain as a lawmaker
(kh) [An MP elected
directly by the people cannot be deposed by
undemocratic, power-hungry politicians!],
Sharing
university narratives : Things went wrong when
the political parties turned the students'
organisations into party units, by Abhi
Subedi (kp), Youth
programmes announced but not executed : Almost
all youth programmes focused on entrepreneurs
have not been implemented, Auditor General's
report says, by Krishana Prasain (kp), “US attempting to use Nepali land,
politics to further anti-China agenda” (kh)
[Both the US and China
are misusing Nepal for their global power
struggles, Mr. Shrestha!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
16/07/2022: Congress’
Pushpa Bhusal elected deputy Speaker of the
House : Bidya Bhattarai of the CPN-UML gets only
93 votes (kp), Education
sector makes modest achievements in one year
under Deuba-led govt (rep), Ensuring
Political Stability, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
NHRC
takes decisions on rights of trafficking victims
(ht), Prachanda
on three-day India visit: What is his real
agenda is everyone’s guess : Prachanda, a former
supreme commander of guerrilla war in Nepal,
announced the visit suddenly. Experts and
observers in Kathmandu have also raised the
issue of apparent breach of diplomatic norms
during the visit (nlt), RSS
journalist Acharya gets allegedly beaten up by
NEA employees (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
15/07/2022: Upper
house ratifies changes to rape laws to the
chagrin of some members : Contrary to demands
for scrapping the statute of limitations on
rape, the new amendments only increase the time
allowed to report rape cases, by Aakriti
Ghimire (kp) [Nepal's
ruling elite of macho men continue to reject
policies in the interest of women!], Suggestions
given on transitional justice (ht), 'Eligible
people deprived of Nepali citizenship'
(ht), Govt
decides to extend the term of Truth and
Reconciliation Commission officials
(kh) [The problem is not so much
with the people in the Commission as with the
politicians who refuse to make the necessary
changes to the law and equip the Commission to
do its job!], Paradox
of Nepal’s national interest: Every party agrees
on fundamentals, differs in practice : National
interest discourse in Nepal is largely linked
with foreign policy conducts. It is often a
matter of how Nepal should deal with neighboring
India and China and far-off powerful America,
by Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), US
envoy nominee: Nepal ratified MCC
despite China’s ‘disinformation
campaign’ : In his opening statement
before the Foreign Relations Committee
of the Senate, Thompson says he is ‘well
prepared’ to take up the assignment in
Kathmandu (kp) [And what about US disinformation
campaign? Both China and the US must
respect Nepal's sovereignty!], Chinese
embassy takes exception to Thompson’s
China disinformation campaign statement
: The embassy says the remarks of the US
side are baseless and have not only
slandered China, but also offended Nepal
and its people (kp) [The US and China
must immediately stop using Nepal for
their global power struggles. Mr
Thompson either has no understanding of
Nepal's realities and foreign policy
sensitivities or he wants to distinguish
himself by undiplomatic ruthlessness
towards Nepal even even before his
official appointment!],
Liu’s
visit: Nothing but predatory meddling in Nepal’s
internal affairs, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh),
The
curious case of ‘M Adhikari’ : UML’s claim that
the doppelganger party member is not the
governor fails to satisfy observers and
lawmakers, by Binod Ghimire and Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Sri
Lankan syndrome and Nepal : An economic crisis
like in Sri Lanka is inevitable, if Nepal
ignores its early symptoms, by Bijendra Man
Shakya (kp), Challenges
Of Good Governance, by Shyam Prasad Mainali
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
14/07/2022: Lies,
more lies : It is our misfortune that the cast
of characters has changed very little in the
last three decades, by Deepak Thapa (kp), No
deputy Speaker for over two years, and now they
want to elect one. Why? Not aimed at protecting
the constitution, experts say, as ruling parties
seem to be eying something else that they think
may benefit them somehow, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [The disregard for
the Constitution by the ruling male Tagadhari
elite is simply criminal and undemocratic in
every sense of the word!], Deputy
Speaker of HoR: Bhusal and Bhattarai file
nominations (kh) [This
position is reserved for women, as the
patriarchal ruling elite see only men as
qualified for top leadership roles. But the
question is why, once again, only candidates
from Bahun circles are sent forward.], Nepal,
China crucial talks today, with aim to revive
mechanisms to settle boundary row : Two
countries have failed to conduct joint
inspection of the border since 2011. Recent
reports suggest disputes in some places,
including Humla, by Anil Giri (kp), BRI
Is Beneficial For Nepal, by Aarati Neupane
(rn), Judicial
Credibility At Stake, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Chure’s
exploitation goes unchecked :
Authorities have turned a
blind eye on illegal crusher
plants that occupy the rivers
and streams that flow from the
Chure, by Rajkaran Mahato
(ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
13/07/2022: Hurdles
in Nepal’s Newfangled Geostrategic Drive, by
Binoj Basnyat (kh), What
kind of monetary policy can spare Nepal from
becoming next Sri Lanka? (kh), PM
Deuba-led government claims it
ended instability, misgovernance
(kh 13/07/2022) [In reality,
the differences with the
previous Oli government are not
that great. There is still a
lack of democratic procedures,
rule of law, respect for the
constitution and social
inclusion!], Deuba’s
one year in office marked by
misrule and tactic from Oli’s
playbook : Local elections can
be counted as the only
achievement, else failure on all
fronts, observers say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), A
litany of failures : The first
year of Deuba's fifth term is a
story of unfulfilled
promises—and disillusionment
(kp), Beijing
in a bid to engage Congress as
it explores unity of left forces
in Nepal : Chinese delegation’s
visit carries multiple messages
amid geopolitical shifts,
experts and observers say,
by Anil Giri (kp), Looming
food crisis : The state has
never taken food shortages
seriously because of the false
security net—the Indian market,
by Madhukar Upadhya (kp), HoR
passes first Citizenship
Amendment Bill (rep) [As long as
Articles 10 ff. of the
Constitution do not treat women
and men absolutely equally, this
amendment to a subordinate law
means little!]
see
also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English),
evening (Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
12/07/2022: From
the wrong playbook : The government dare not
tamper with constitutional provisions and rule
of law (kp), CCP
foreign department chief Liu holding talks with
Oli, Nepal and Khanal today (kh) [A blatant case of
intervention in internal Nepali affairs. What
does this Chinese party official actually want
in Nepal?], China
“openly lobbying” against United States in Nepal
(kh) [Not much different
from the US policy in Nepal!], UML
lawmaker Pal suggests doing away with provinces
(kh) [This demand is
clearly unconstitutional and should have legal
consequences! Not the federal system is the
problem, but the fact that many of the top
politicians reject federalism, secularism and
social inclusion, as these endanger their
dominant position!], Deuba
under fire— from a section of Congress, and
opposition : UML charges prime minister with
failing in governance. Congress group questions
party president’s performance, by Anil Giri
(kp), Government
sets record in rush spending at end of fiscal
year : On Saturday, despite being the weekend,
it paid out a whopping Rs14.72 billion, setting
a record for the highest one-day capital
expenditure, by Pawan Pandey (kp) [This testifies to a lack of
interest on the part of the responsible
politicians and administrators in a structured
and rational development policy!], Perennial
problem : Nepal's dev process will not move
ahead as long as the govt fails to spend the
capital budget as per its desire (ht), Weapons
Purchase Case: House committee gives
three days to home ministry to furnish
details (rep), It’s
shameful to fail to nominate Deputy
Speaker and Vice-Chairman: Bamdev Gautam
(kh) [It is not
only shameful, it is a serious violation
of Articles 91 and 92 of the
Constitution. This constitutional
violation was deliberately committed by
the previous Oli government, like so
many others of his numerous misconducts,
and has been continued by the present
Deuba government. Since both positions
should have been filled by women, it is
also an afront against women's rights
and political participation. The
politicians responsible for this scandal
should be held accountable as a matter
of urgency.]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
11/07/2022: Govt
registers Citizenship Bill in Parliament : Home
Minister and Law Minister in a rush seeking
consensus (kh), Workers
lack security in Nepal and abroad, by Keshav
Adhikari (kh), Deuba
government taking a leaf out of Oli’s book in
obscene fashion, experts say : A bill to amend
Constitutional Council Act comes as the latest
case to demonstrate current administration is no
different from the previous one in disregarding
rule of law, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Bill
to amend Constitutional Council Act: Bishwa
Prakash Sharma seeks accountability from PM : In
what appears to be a case of blatant disregard
for the rule of law and spirit of the
constitution, the Deuba government is trying to
amend the Constitutional Council Act in the same
way done by his predecessor the KP Oli-led
government (nlt), Speaker
Sapkota rules govt to furnish replies on
issues raised by lawmakers (nlt),
Is
Nepal Oil Corporation’s proposal to government
rationale? Suffice to say, these recommendations
are neither suitable for the short-term, nor are
they viable long-term measures. In fact, it
would pose even greater risks in the lives of
the people as well as the economy as a whole,
leaving everyone worse-off, by Anoushka Pant
(nlt), Government
spends over Rs 25bn in one day (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
10/07/2022: The
system changed, but the plight of Badi community
did not (rep), New
citizenship bill does away with 7 years wait
(ht) [Nepal's
patriarchal high caste politicians simply do not
want to understand that all people in Nepal are
entitled to equal citizenship rights regardless
of their gender. The country does not belong to
men, but to all citizens!], Govt
repeats late spending trend as fiscal year comes
to a close : Rs 52 billion spent as development
expenditure in past 25 days; Rs 15 billion spent
on Saturday alone (kh) [Nepal politicians will never change unless
they are replaced in their entirety by a
responsible, younger and socially inclusive
generation! Otherwise, the personal power
struggles of failed top politicians who are not
really interested in the development of the
country will continue endlessly!], Federal
government itself is anti-federal, politicians
and experts say : Panelists concur federalism
can never be strengthened unless the political
parties transform themselves (kp) [Not only the government, but
all the major political parties, especially Oli
and his CPN-UML as well as the RPP and its
related parties, the latter party having a
totally unconstitutional attitude!], Govt
buying weapons worth Rs 840 million in times of
economic crisis (rep) [To keep discontented civil society under
control or for what?], Language,
literature, culture are nation's pride: PM Deuba
(rep) [In relation to
the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual
and multi-cultural society of Nepal, these terms
must be used in the plural!], Left
Alliance Still A Far Cry, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn), Height
of irresponsibility: Gandaki province chief
minister’s reckless display of profligacy in the
middle of economic crisis : Even as the country
staggers under the economic slowdown and rising
inflation, the Gandaki province government has
indulged in reckless profligacy. Is Nepal
another Sri Lanka in the making?, by Nishan
Khatiwada (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
09/07/2022: A
blueprint for political empowerment of Nepali
women : Male politicians in dominant
positions should face the reality that women in
Nepal have no equal opportunities to contest the
elections, by Simone Galimberti (nlt), House
panel for extending statute of limitations on
rape by up to three years : Observers say that’s
not enough and doesn’t match Nepal’s rights
commitments made in international forums, by
Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Top-level
Chinese visit piques curiosity about its purpose
: Chinese Communist Party’s international
department chief is arriving on Sunday amid
talks about a possible left alliance and Nepal’s
perceived tilt towards the West, by Anil
Giri (kp) [China and the
USA are primarily concerned with global
supremacy. Their engagement in Nepal is only a
small piece of the mosaic. And Nepal's weak
politicians have the mistaken view that they can
use both to their advantage!], The
Coming Global Recession: Will Nepal Resist the
Trend?, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (rep), The
Native Roots Of Freedom, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
08/07/2022: Nepal
among countries with gender discriminatory
nationality laws (ht) [see corresponding report
by Equality Now and Index
of related laws (Nepal pp. 63-63)], Import
explosion and trade deficit pushing Nepal into
economic crisis : Feverish consumption has been
a bonanza for the trading sector, but the
phenomenon brought disaster to manufacturing and
agriculture sectors, experts say, by
Krishana Prasain (kp), Why
are the top leaders of the ruling coalition
defending the Nijgadh Airport project? The top
leaders of the ruling coalition–Sher Bahadur
Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar
Nepal–look committed to the Nijgadh Airport
project, whatever the supreme court verdict. Why
are they so bent? (nlt), Life
is precious, everybody’s : It is vital to ensure
the safety of the citizens through changes in
policies and practices (kp), High-profile
corruption cases pending at Supreme Court for
two decades, by Bhasa Sharma (rep), House
committee agrees to increase statute of
limitation for rape cases to two years (rep)
[There should be no
limitation at all in such cases!], Accountability
Counts A Lot, by Yug Bahadur (rn), Parliamentarians
rue over withdrawal of Citizenship related Bill
(kh), State-sponsored
economic crisis : Nepal's politicians lack the
focus and will to bring down inflation, by
Ramesh Kumar (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
07/07/2022: In
Nepal, to be able to vote is a tough nut to
crack : Forced to stand in long queues, coupled
with delays, service seekers express rage
against the tedious voter registration process,
by Shrutika Raut ans Sakshi Srivastav (nlt) [Nepal needs a mandatory
population registration system using modern IT.
Then additional voter registration will be
unnecessary!], Women
in budget : Despite significant strides, some
gaps in mobility and entrepreneurship remain
(kp), New
Wheels In Politics, by Mukti Rijal (rn), New
citizenship bill : Inability to solve the
citizenship problem is pushing more and more
people into statelessness (ht) [The cause is the
patriarchal, high-caste machos at the top of the
state and political parties, who see only males
as the owners of the country and refuse full
equality for all genders!], After
pushing the country to the brink of economic
ruin, former guerilla commander Sharma steps
down : History will judge Janardan Sharma’s
one-year-long tenure harshly. His policies and
actions have left deep scars in the country’s
economy (nlt), Bill
to regulate acid business required to contain
women violence: Home Minister (kh) [This has been demanded for
years, but the oh-so-stressed politicians are
simply too busy with their power struggles and
manipulations!], How
the Special Court swiftly acquits ‘big fish’ :
Experts say corruption will persist so long as
political appointees rule the roost in
law-enforcement agencies, by Surendra Kafle
(ae), Coalition
culture in Nepali politics : Forging a coalition
among political parties with the objective of
contesting and winning national elections is
rather a new concept in Nepal, by Binod
Kumar Bhattarai (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
06/07/2022: Gender-responsive
budgeting: Good on paper, poor on implementation
: In the absence of monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms, existing gender financing policies
of Nepal have failed to yield desired results,
by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Federal
government overlooks statute as it wants to
oversee Valley’s security : Nepali Congress and
CPN-UML are in favour while the Maoists are
against the proposed arrangement, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Finance
Minister Sharma resigns (nlt), Parliamentary
special committee to investigate Janardhan
Sharma’s alleged manipulation of tax rate
(kh), FinMin
Sharma resigns following allegations of
manipulating tax rates in budget and hiding
evidence (rep), EC
officials to recommend Nov 18 or 21 to hold
parliamentary and provincial elections (kh),
Poll
commission suggests November 18 for federal and
provincial elections : Holding both elections in
a single phase is possible, it’s cost effective
and easier from the management point of view,
the commission says (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
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(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
05/07/2022: How
Nepal can avoid its impending foreign exchange
reserves crisis : It's time to take the
concrete, maybe unpleasant, steps if necessary
to avoid what Sri Lanka has been through. Both
fiscal and monetary sides should come together
to take coordinated bold steps, by Bamadev
Paudel (nlt), Calls
are growing for Finance Minister Sharma to quit,
as he fails to come clean : Prime minister’s
reluctance to take action raises suspicion if
there are too many skeletons in the closet,
by Anil Giri (kp), Govt
told to give compensation to victims (ht), SC
orders release of robbery-accused minor from
child correction centre (ht), Only
41.62 percent of capital budget spent as 12 days
remain in this fiscal (kh), Government
decides to withdraw citizenship bill : To
register a new bill by removing some
‘controversial’ provisions in the existing
draft, a minister says (kp), Former
vice-chairs of National Planning Commission
demand probe on budget tampering case : "The
government has failed to increase exports,
ensure proper mobilization of foreign aid and
loans, attract foreign investment, facilitate
tourist arrivals, and ensure remittance inflows
through formal channels to improve the depleting
foreign currency reserves." (nlt), The
case of alleged financial crime exposes
compromised morality of some bureaucrats. Are
there provisions to hold them accountable?
Nepal’s Civil Service Act (1993) has provisions
regarding the removal or dismissal of government
employees from service. Top bureaucrats,
however, often skip action by taking advantage
of their political connection and shifting the
blame toward politicians (nlt), Of
deceits and erasures : The sooner the finance
minister exits the government, the better for
the nation (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
04/07/2022: “Reviving
NCP and forging Left unity is the
ultimate goal” : Oli and Prachanda also
believe in leftist alliance and unity,
interview with Tulasa Thapa, Nepal Ekta
Rashtriya Abhiyan (kh 04/07/2022) [The Left Alliance of
2017 was an experiment that failed
because of the personal claims to power
and anti-democratic attitudes of its
leaders. A repetition under the
leadership of the same failed
individuals makes no sense. They are
intransigent and have not changed their
attitudes! The constant party splits and
new party formations on the left
spectrum are a clear indication!],
Complications galore as there’s more to Rana
impeachment than meets the eye : Questions
remain what happens if House expires before his
retirement. Some experts argue he can return to
office, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The little democratic,
socially non-inclusive and anything but secular
state of Nepal presents a political picture of
misery. Worst of all, the people mainly
responsible for this want to prolong this
political chaos for another five years.],
Mangalsen
tense following protest over death of local
youth : Police fired 12 tear gas shells to bring
the situation under control; 12 police officers
injured, by Menuka Dhungana (kp), 14
injured in clash between protesters and police
(kh), Dahal
blames NC for CPN-MC poor showing in
local polls (ht) [He will never admit
his own failure!], KMC
slammed over violation of fundamental
human rights (ht), Cronyism,
protectionism and rampant corruption
likely to push Nepal to the brink of
economic disaster : On Sunday, Nepal’s
Finance Ministry refused to produce CCTV
footage of the night before the budget
announcement, raising questions about
whether the alleged financial crime will
ever be investigated, by Ashim
Neupane (nlt)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
03/07/2022: Conflict
victims want new leaders in two commissions as
their terms near end : Justice continues to
elude victims of the decade-long war because of
multiple reasons including a lack of will on the
part of politicians, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Women's
rights only on paper, law-enforcement limited to
cities, by Dinesh Subedi (rep), Ranju
Darshana to contest upcoming federal election
from Kathmandu-5 (nlt), Oil
Corporation increasingly anxious about piling
debt to its Indian supplier : Near bankruptcy,
public utility has outstanding payment dues
worth Rs22 billion and the sum is expected to
rise, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Left
alliance has an appeal to the communists. But
can they pull it off again? Ruling coalition
seems to be intact so far, but recent activities
hint something is cooking with the leftist
forces feeling encouraged, by Tika R Pradhan
and Anil Giri (kp), Unified
Socialist Heads To Bumpy Ride, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn) [Even the authoritarian leadership
style and the refusal of social
inclusion resemble those of KP Oli!],
Taking
a 'corrupt judiciary' by its horns,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)
see also news
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Live (evening)
02/07/2022: Nepal’s
dependency on rice increasing, annual import
touches Rs 50 billion : Rice, the staple crop of
the country, is grown in around 1.5 million
hectares of land and it requires around 6
million metric tonnes of rice annually to feed
around 30 million population of the country
(nlt), When
Presidents and Vice-presidents stoop to play
go-betweens : Experts say it is unbecoming for
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun to host
meetings to bring his former comrades Dahal and
Bhattarai together politically, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [Another
example that Nepal does not have a democratic
culture!], Concept
paper of independent candidacy campaign unveiled
(rep), Critical
Moment For Party Reforms, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Nepali
remains lingua franca of all provinces, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [It
is not a question of replacing Nepali with
another language, but a second language of the
respective province should be made compulsory,
especially for the high-caste elite, who must
finally get away from the mistaken belief that
only their language, religion, culture, etc.
represent Nepal's identity!], Nepali
Congress Spokesperson raises alert against
loans, Sri Lanka’s fate : Prakash Sharan Mahat
raised the alarm bells while addressing a high
level policy dialogue on National Interests
organized by Policy Research Institute (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
01/07/2022: Despite
six-decade history, parliamentary practice
remains weak in Nepal : Experts say that in
countries where political parties aren’t
democratic, the parliamentary practice cannot be
effective, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Bandi
against endlessly extending TRC deadline
(ht), ‘Endlessly
extending deadline for TRC and CIEDP not a way
out’, interview with Minister Govinda Bandi
(ht), Promote
Gender Equality In Politics, by Shyam Prasad
Mainali (rn), Bhattarai,
Yadav set to part ways 3 years after union as
discord reaches tipping point : Two leaders, who
are like chalk and cheese, have partnered longer
than many expected, and a split is not if but
when, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Time
to let go : Local governments should be
empowered enough to shoulder the
responsibility of education (kp), Two
Faces of Civil Service, by Sarans
Pandey (rep), Capital
expenditure at less than 40 per cent
(ht)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
30/06/2022: Power
sans responsibility : Rather than a sense of
security, the presence of the police strikes
fear in people’s hearts (kp), A
critical look at Nepal’s ‘Other’ commissions :
The 'Other' commissions hold great potential for
Nepal's marginalized groups, but they are in
need of urgent support to ensure sustenance,
by Sneha Ghimire, Georghe Varughese and Tara Kanel
(rec), EC
preparing to hold federal and provincial
elections by mid-December: CEC Thapaliya
(nlt), Top
court quashes all decisions related to Nijgadh
airport : In a 3-2 ruling, the Supreme Court,
however, keeps options open for building an
international airport, with strict conditions of
minimal environmental damage, by Sangam
Prasain, Binod Ghimire and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Bhattarai
faction frets as Yadav goes solo with Cabinet
reshuffle proposal : Deuba calls for consensus
proposal. Observers say JSP dispute could impact
the coalition, by Anil Giri (kp), Janata
Samajwadi Party row: Yadav, Bhattarai agree to
part ways (nlt), Maoist
castaways : The party and its leadership have
moved on to mundane pursuits like power and
money, by Deepak Thapa (kp), 'Migration
ban on women counterproductive' (ht), EC
urges govt to manage e-voting machines for
upcoming polls (nlt) [Yawn, says the Deuba government! This is
just like voting rights for the millions of
excluded eligible voters!], What
perpetuates patriarchy in Nepal?, by Cilla
Khatry (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
29/06/2022: Most
perpetrators being relatives or neighbors,
challenges galore for rape survivors : Activists
and stakeholders say it diminishes the
survivors’ chance of justice, leaving them in
perpetual trauma, by Sakshi Srivastav (nlt),
Why
are Nepalis living abroad deprived of voting
rights? Experiences of a campaigner for more
than 7 years, by Karma Lama Tamang (kh), Torture
at the hands of authorities continues with
little action : The Criminal Code that came into
force in 2018 has criminalised torture but the
cases are seldom investigated and no
perpetrators have been brought to book so far.,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Government
unclear on how to adjust taxes days after it
slashed fuel prices : Finance Ministry says
Supply Ministry decided on price cuts; the
former has made no move to revise the taxes yet,
by Preithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Nor
any drop to drink : The authorities must spring
into action before water contamination becomes a
full blown crisis (kp), Faulty
assurances : Nepal turned into a net food
importer from an exporter after the 1980s due to
abysmal farm policies, by Bijendra Man
Shakya (kp), Digital
Harassment Impairs Press Freedom, by Namrata
Sharma (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
28/06/2022: Cop
beats doctor black and blue because he was
‘walking at night’ : The doctor was heading home
after his duty at Arogya Foundation in Pulchowk
when the police constable started to verbally
and physically abuse him, by Anup Ojha (kp)
[The police continue to
claim that it is their right to brutally beat up
civilians whenever they please!], Marginalized
since birth : Despite legal provisions, the
births of many Dalit children in the Madhes are
not registered, mostly due to a lack of
documentation on the part of the parents, by
Rajendra Senchurey and Smriti Kafle (rec), Janata
Samajwadi Party decides to recall ministers
(nlt), JSP
decides to call back its ministers without
Baburam’s consent : Dr. Bhattarai and Ashok Rai
pushed aside (kh), Supreme
Court stays Pokhara metropolis’ standard on
constructing physical structures around Fewa
Lake (nlt), Bamdev
Gautam announcing a new party today (kh) [There are not enough useless
parties led by failed male Bahun politicians!],
Gautam
announces formation of ‘NCP Ekata Rastriya
Abhiyan’ party (kh), Amid
SPP confusion, home minister makes a gaffe
saying pullout letter sent to the US : Foreign
Ministry is yet to write to the US. American
embassy says it acknowledges Nepali Cabinet’s
public statements regarding its desire not to
move forward on the SPP, by Anil Giri(kp), Advancing
Alternative Force Easier Said Than Done, by
Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Independent
movement in Nepali politics : New wine or old
wine in new bottle?, by Jiba Raj Pokharel
(ht)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
27/06/2022: Dismantling
Chhaupadi mindset : The only effective measure
would be educating people to abolish this
abhorrent tradition (kp), What
should Nepal learn from the SPP debacle? The SPP
issue exposed the dishonesty of the Nepali
leadership, both in power and in opposition. The
purported SPP draft agreement and several
letters associated with it further raised
concerns, by Shristi Kafle (nlt), High
time we saved the country’s economy : Economic
growth is not the main concern, by Chandra
Mani Adhikari (kh), Forex
reserves down to fund imports for just a little
over six months raises alarm : Questions arise
if import control measures have worked and
government is doing much to address economic
woes, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Seeds
of discord in Unified Socialist just as
ministers change : Party is clearly in crisis
with Madhav Nepal seeking to put the house in
order., by Tika R Pradhan (kp), CPN
(US) demand met, Cabinet reshuffled (ht) [All supporters of patriarchy
say thank you for the further reduction of women
in the cabinet. The proportion of women in the
Council of Ministers is only 20 per cent,
although the constitution stipulates at least 34
per cent. For this to happen, at least three of
the four newly appointed ministers would have
had to be women. Long live the patriarchy!],
Supreme
Court orders government to make arrangements for
prisoners to vote : The order says those doing
time should be allowed to vote for the
proportional representation system (kp), Nepal imports
vegetables worth over Rs 34 billion in 11 months
: Potatoes worth Rs 7 billion and onions worth
Rs 5 billion imported (kh) [Nepal is really not able to
grow enough vegetables by itself? This is quite
obviously a mistake in agricultural policy!],
UML
lawmakers boycott National Assembly meeting
(kh) [A democratic party
must not under any circumstances prevent the
work of the elected representatives of the
people, even if there are serious allegations.
Parliament is not a kindergarten! Why should the
voters give their vote to such a party again?],
BRI
document reveals how China attempts to dominate
Nepal’s economy with its currency and free trade
provisions : China seeks economic hegemony in
Nepal through BRI; experts raise concerns over
not making BRI document public, by Ishwar
Dev Khanal (kh)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
26/06/2022: Chhaupadi
practice puts women with disabilities at higher
risk : Disabled girls and women are more prone
to getting sexually violated while staying away
in chhau sheds, by Basanta Pratap Singh
(kp), No
legal clarity on how long the House of
Representatives can function after election
dates are announced : Government doesn’t need to
dissolve House, it can simply prorogue ongoing
session which means the end of its tenure, an
expert says, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Unified
Socialist ministers replaced in Cabinet
reshuffle: New ministers will be sworn in on
Monday morning (kp), Prime
Minister Deuba reshuffles cabinet (nlt)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
25/06/2022: Ruling
coalition directs govt to cut taxes on petroleum
products : The government has been levying hefty
taxes on petroleum products. It is said the
price of petrol and diesel will come down by Rs
25-30 per liter once the decision is implemented
(nlt), Govt
slashes fuel prices following widespread
criticism : The government decided to reduce
petrol price by Rs 20 per liter and diesel price
by Rs 28 per liter (nlt), Govt
reduces petroleum product price, petrol Rs
179/liter and diesel Rs 163 now (kh), Nepal
struggles with a high adolescent fertility rate
(kh), Banke
prison overcrowded (kh), Crisis
brewing in Unified Socialist as 10 of its
lawmakers up the ante : Party chair Nepal in
tight spot as those said to be his close aides
pressure him over decision on recalling
ministers, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Riding
Out Turbulent Geopolitics, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
24/06/2022: Government
is in a fix. It has decided to shun SPP but is
not clear how to do that : Foreign Ministry
officials say they’ve got Cabinet decision ‘not
to move ahead’, which they find too vague to
pursue, by Anil Giri (kp), China
speaks about SPP: Experts say comment on
Nepal-US bilateral matters not welcome : ‘China
is not respecting Nepal’s sovereignty by
unnecessarily commenting on its sovereignty’,
geopolitical experts react to the Chinese
official statement (nlt), Justice
for sale : As long as judges are appointed on
the basis of political affiliation, the
judiciary will not improve for the better
(ht), In
the dock, again : The justices should remain
true to the ideals of impartiality and
incorruptibility (kp), Independent
Mayors Must Keep Their Word, by Dhananjay
Shah and Dilip Thakur (kp), Prachanda
expresses desire to be executive head of country
again (kh) [Please,
not another one of those failed politicians who
think nothing can be done without them! Dahal,
Oli, Deuba and many others should retire
immediately and give way to a new generation of
politicians!], Breaching
laws, govt released Rs 9m for Jhalanath Khanal’s
abroad medical treatment : The amount was
released illegally as Section 30 of the ‘Public
Health Service Act 2018’ states that expenses
should not be provided for foreign treatment
(nlt), In
a healthy state : Nepalis are sick because they
are poor, and they are getting poorer because
they are sicker (nt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
23/06/2022: Rampant
lawlessness: How entire system is under threat
from Prime Minister himself : Nepal’s
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba seems
hell-bent on protecting his nearer and dearer
ones at the cost of the country’s legal as well
as parliamentary system. It appears Deuba can go
to any length to keep his power intact, by
Nishan Khatiwada (kp), Hospitals
closing health insurance program (kh), Leaked
audio clip of judge, lawyer talking kickbacks
exposes rot in the judiciary : Judge Koirala and
lawyer Pokhrel are heard discussing taking a cut
totalling Rs20 million to secure release of
Ichchha Raj Tamang on a bail of Rs100 million,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), District
court judge in bribery scandal, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Rising
cost of living is impacting people’s health :
Cases of waterborne diseases result of inflation
that is driving people into poverty, forcing
many to scrimp on essentials, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Why
Local Elections in Nepal Should be Held on
Nonpartisan Basis, by Ambika P Adhikari and
Keshav Bhattarai (rep), Mahato
calls for coalition among marginalised
communities (ht), Workers
in the eyes of political parties : Don't take
them for granted anymore, by Ajay Kumar Rai
(ht), The
missing coherence in Nepal’s IPS and BRI
dealings : Between 2015 and 2019, Nepal twice
wrote to the US expressing its desire to join
the SPP military exchange program, by Kamal
Dev Bhattarai (ae), Learning
from Nepal’s SPP fiasco, by Pragya Ghimire
(ae), Why
is Nepal’s Province 1 still nameless?, by
Rakesh Karn (ae)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
22/06/2022: Sublimation
of the subaltern : Chasing the chimaera of
emancipation through political ideologies is
exhausting and meaningless, by CK Lal
(kp), Judicial
Council calls meeting as a leaked audio
conversation between a judge and lawyer
making a deal of Rs 20 million to
release Ichchha Raj on bail creates
ripples (kh), Ad-hoc
decisions put Nepal’s aviation—and
tourism—in disarray : The civil aviation
body is not the only one wreaking havoc
on the industry, the tourism minister
has done his share of the damage too,
insiders say, by Sangam Prasain
(kp),
Congress leaders call for letting
Nepalis away vote. Poll body says not
feasible : Despite Supreme Court order
in 2018, no initiatives taken for
out-of-country voting. Debate on the
issue when polls near seems to be more
for public consumption, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), SC
asks for original copies relating to 52
appointments in constitutional bodies
(kh), Property
right sought for Nepali diaspora
(ht)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
21/06/2022: VAW
cases continue unabated (kh), Govt
rebuffs NHRC’s recommendations (kh), Nepal
unlikely to achieve Sustainable Development
Goals by 2030 : Stakeholders identify lack of
proper plan of action and localized indicators
along with insufficient budget allocation as
major stumbling blocks to achieving the goals,
by Shrutika Raut and Sakshi Srivastav (nlt), New
rule allows crusher plants even closer to
rivers, forests and villages : Experts say such
policies will damage environment. Questions
arise at whose behest the new standards were
brought, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Government
decides to stay away from SPP : Confusion
remains though whether Nepal is indeed part of
the US scheme and how it can get out of it,
by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Coalition
partners eye alliance for upcoming polls, but
there are complexities : There are more
aspirants than the 165 lower house seats up for
grabs and Maoist Centre and Unified Socialist
want more seats than they have now, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [Voters
will once again be presented with the old
familiar non-inclusive male uppercaste
candidates. The voters should dispose of them
all in the dustbin of history!], Parties
are reluctant to ensure fair Dalit
representation in politics, report says : Dalit
advocacy group’s report regrets dwindling Dalit
representation in local governance (kp), Active
cholera threat : It is usually after cases
emerge that the authorities wake up to take
charge of the situation (kp), Constricted
devolution of fiscal power : The new leadership
at the local level needs to find ways to boost
capital expenditure, by Achyut Wagle (kp), “No
province or municipality has shown any
expenditure on drinking water for the last five
years” (rep)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
20/06/2022: Recruitment
tightrope : The imbalance of healthcare
professionals could hinder our efforts to
improve healthcare in Nepal (kp) [Nepal itself does not need
nurses at all, definitely!], Deuba
skips House committee meeting. Lawmakers decide
to summon him again : Nepal’s prime ministers
often ignore such calls, just as questions
remain about parliamentary panels also, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [Nepal
may call itself a parliamentary democracy with a
separation of powers, but the politicians in
power believe they have taken over absolutist
power from the ousted monarchy!], External
affairs, domestic battles : Our governance and
policy-making are routinely held hostage to
political squabbling, by Anurag Acharya
(kp), Nepal’s
‘great’ leap backward : World order is changing
fast. Nations are framing strategies to deal
with the unknown that is emerging. In Nepal,
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is busy
defending his corrupt Finance Minister, by
Bikash Sangraula (nlt), Gorkha
locals want Swarnim Waglé to contest the
parliamentary elections from the district :
Despite his formal affiliation with Nepali
Congress, people from all walks of life
regardless of the ideology, have been expecting
Dr Swarnim Waglé to contest the upcoming
parliamentary elections from Gorkha (nlt), Dozens of Chinese
contractors blacklisted; scams unbridled, by
Krishna Timalsina (kh), Potential
foreign investors put off by Nepal’s lax law
enforcement : FDI pledges in IT sector plunged
409 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months
of the current fiscal year ended mid-June,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), SC
orders not to implement govt. decision to
restrict loan disbursement (kh)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
19/06/2022: Probe
shows prison officials’ role in events leading
to youth’s jail death : CCTV not functioning
when Harijan ‘committed suicide’. Detailed probe
by police sought, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Experts
say SPP exposed Nepal’s civilian and military
diplomacy failure : It’s a fiasco of epic
proportions, they say, which could widen trust
deficit with neighbours and the United States,
by Anil Giri (kp), Liquidity
crisis can hardly be addressed by this fiscal
policy, by Kamlesh Agrawal (kh)
see also news
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(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
18/06/2022: Patriarchy
blamed for suffering of mothers, kids (ht),
Authority
without accountability: Deuba government’s
blatant indifference to ‘financial crime’ by
Finance Minister : Prime Minister Deuba’s
reluctance to investigate the alleged
involvement of an outsider to change tax rates
in the fiscal policy by the Finance Minister
shows accountability is at stake in Nepal
(nlt), House
panel grills army chief, foreign minister on SPP
: Orders government to write to the US saying
Nepal is not part of SPP. Sharma claims 2019
army letter was sent with government nod, Nepal
is not part of any military alliance, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), ‘Political
leadership was unaware of Nepal Army’s
correspondence with US Army over SPP’ (rep)
[KP Oli and his
government at the time lied to the people all
the time! Why should they believe it now?],
Mentally-ill
girl gang-raped in Dang, by Devendra Basnet
(rep), Textbooks
yet to reach Baitadi (rep), Can
Nepal absorb the shockwaves of stagflation and
growth myth?, by Kedar Neupane (rep)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
17/06/2022: On
SPP, no party looks clean— all lying, playing to
the gallery : A Nepal Army letter shows Nepal
applied for the State Partnership Program in
October 2015. While the national defence force
finds itself in the dock, politicians are
equally answerable, by Anil Giri and Binod
Ghimire (kp) [Right to
information: Every citizen shall have the right
to demand and receive information on any matter
of his or her interest or of public interest
(Article 27 of the constitution)! When will
politicians finally respect the constitution?
Their behaviour is criminal!], Deuba
avoids House that awaited response on some
pressing issues : Amid calls for answers from
him on defence budget and SPP, prime minister
plays truant, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Int’l Relations
Committee summons CoAS Sharma on SPP issue
(kh), Nepal
will not participate in any military alliance;
10-point agreement on SPP is fake: CoAS Sharma
(kh), How
long will China’s undeclared blockade on
Nepal continue?, by Krishna
Timalsina (kh), Nepali
importers using southern route due to
fickle Chinese transit policy : Traders
say they are tired of the frequently
changing Chinese transit rules and
promises which have caused them massive
losses, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Services
halted in Budhiganga amid reelection
delay : Budhiganga Municipality is
without people’s representatives, which
has hampered several administrative and
development activities in the local body,
by Arjun Shah (kp) [This is also a consequence of the
imbecilic rule that incumbent
politicians have to resign if they want
to run again in elections!]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
16/06/2022: The
burdens of a Nepali woman : Women are still seen
as subservient figures everywhere they go.
Meanwhile, patriarchy has gone beyond being a
belief system and become a way of life for many
of us, by Anushka Nepal (ae), US
embassy reacts as Deuba is silent while
lawmakers question SPP : Hours after US
officials say Nepal became part of the State
Partnership Program in 2019 as per its request,
Nepal Army refutes. Law minister terms whole
issue ‘a rumour’ (kp) [Only a timely and continuous information
policy by the government can help to avoid such
irritations. People have a right to information,
but Nepali governments have always relied on
disinformation!], SPP
debacle: Nepal Army’s request letter to the US
becomes public : The letter shows that the Nepal
Army, in 2015, had written to the United States
Embassy in Kathmandu proposing the SPP with the
American government (nlt), Nepal’s
debt rises by over 7 percent in third quarter :
Rupee depreciation has added Rs19.37 billion to
foreign debt burden. Value of a US dollar has
risen to a record high, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), On
Presidential Democracy, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
Fighting
discrimination: Everyone's responsibility,
by Simone Galimberti (ht)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
15/06/2022: PM
should answer in Parliament regarding State
Partnership Program: Gagan Thapa : A purported
draft proposal of the US-Nepal military pact has
ignited a heated debate in Nepali politics
(nlt), Will
not sign SPP with the United States: PM Deuba
(kh) [Inform the people
and parliament correctly and in detail! This is
your duty!], A
US programme triggers new debate on the heels of
MCC pact’s passage : American embassy calls a
purported SPP draft circulating online as
‘fake’, as questions arise if Nepal is falling
into a geopolitical quagmire amid rising global
tensions, by Anil Giri (kp), Nine
communist parties demand cancellation of PM
Deuba’s US visit (kh),
Communists fan the flames about SPP not knowing
Nepal was already a part of it "SPP is neither a
military alliance nor China containment tool",
by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh), Laws
related to transitional justice will be amended:
Minister Sharma (kh), Poll
body eyeing general, provincial elections in
November in one phase : Officials say they are
set to meet the prime minister within a week
with their plans, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Janata
Samajbadi Party’s Bhattarai faction asks Deuba
to ignore chair Yadav’s unilateral decisions :
Some leaders say dispute in the party has become
serious and the Bhattarai faction could break
away, by Anil Giri (kp), Around
27 percent Nepalis indebted due to Covid-19
pandemic: UNICEF report, by Arjun Poudel
(kp)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
14/06/2022: Despite
PM Deuba’s reluctance to reshuffle
Cabinet, JSP and Unified Socialist
continue to exert pressure (kh), Future
route of coalition in Nepal: Less rosy,
more thorny, by Jiba Raj Pokharel
(ht), Finance
minister in dock again ‘for using
outsiders’ to tweak taxes : Lawmakers
demand clarification from Sharma and
investigation into allegations that he
involved unauthorised people in the
budget-making process, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), ‘Truth-seeking
should be the first priority of the
transitional justice process’,
interview with Minister for Law, Justice
and Parliamentary Affairs Govinda Bandi
(kp), Local
election, delay in material supply for
printing to blame for delay in providing
textbooks to students: Minister Paudel
(rep) [However,
this does not justify the regular
deferral of remote areas in particular!],
US
embassy says the ‘leaked’
document regarding State
Partnership Program is fake :
Nepali intellectuals and people
on social media had reacted to
the 'proposed' US-Nepal military
pact immediately after media
outlets disclosed the contents
of the document (nlt) [If you
believe it, you will be blessed!]
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
13/06/2022: Secularism
is at a crossroads in Nepal : Anti-secular
voices demanding a return to Nepal’s character
as a Hindu state are on the rise but they ignore
the larger danger to Hinduism – Hindutva, by
Krishna Man Rai (rec) [The
combination of Hinduism and politics is a
prominent reason for the non-inclusive state.
The country's ruling elite has chosen its
religion and culture as the basis of national
identity. But Nepal is a multi-ethnic,
multi-religious and multi-cultural state.
Secularism is one of the most important
achievements of Jana Andolan II. That it has not
been developed and nurtured is the fault of the
ruling elite, which is almost exclusively male
Tagadharis. These men alone are responsible for
the poor state of democracy, federalism and
secularism in Nepal. Send them into retirement
at last!], Cost
of coalition politics : It is evident that the
coalition of parties neither stands on a moral
nor ideological foundation, by Bhoj Raj
Poudel (kp), As
storm within JSP continues to rage, the party
heads towards split (kh) [Temporarily changing laws by
ordinance to allow party divisions is criminal.
Draft a completely new Political Parties Act
that finally prescribes democratic structures
and procedures for the parties and drastically
curtails the power of party leaders!], People
mulling independent runs for federal seats begin
consultations : Members of a network named
‘Swatantra Ummedwar Abhiyan’ are holding
national consultations in Kathmandu on July 1
and 2, by Binod Ghimire (kp), House
panel summons PM to get information on
his US visit (rep 13/06/2022), PM
Deuba is preparing to secretly sign
partnership deal with US: Rawal (rep
13/06/2022), Protestors
besiege MCC's central office (rep
13/06/2022), PM
should inform parliament about his US
visit: Chairman Nepal (rep
13/06/2022) [Not
only the parliament, the entire people
have a right to information. The
behaviour of top American politicians in
recent months and especially the current
visit of the general are highly
suspicious. When will Nepal finally find
a way to a foreign policy that is free
from American, Chinese or Indian
dictates? Grow up, Nepal!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
12/06/2022: Late
as usual : Delayed delivery of textbooks
infringes the right to education of Nepali
students, by Karuna Parajuli and Timothy
Fish Hodgson (kp), Experts
for weighing viability, transparency and
national interests while selecting foreign
funded projects (nlt), Budget
debate in Nepal is about MPs seeking more for
their constituencies : Parliamentarians often
forget their main job—making laws. They consider
themselves development workers, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Meeting
revenue target a tough ask amid import reduction
plan : The government collects more than half of
the total revenue from imports. The country’s
forex reserves, however, have been dwindling
fast due to import surge, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Nepal's
education needs drastic change - UGC chair
Subedi (rn), “First
we need to understand the underlying factors
that push children to the worst form of child
labor”,interview with Sudarshan Neupane,
Head of Tdh Nepal Country Office (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
11/06/2022: Strides
In Women Empowerment, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
Police
personnel trained to combat TIP (kh), Deforestation
for development leading to environmental
degradation : Trees are being cut down
indiscriminately in large numbers in the name of
physical infrastructure development or to
accommodate the growing number of human
settlements, stakeholders say, by Madhav
Aryal, Durgalal KC and Birendra KC (kp), Nepal
to renegotiate with Motrex to establish electric
vehicle plant : South Korean automaker intends
to assemble Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Butwal,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), Visiting
US general urges Nepal to join State Partnership
Program, promises aid : Prime Minister Deuba and
Nepal Army chief Sharma want political consensus
before Nepal joins the program, a component of
the Indo-Pacific Strategy, officials say
(kp) [Baiting Nepal with
money to take the US side in the global power
struggle and snub China may be in the interest
of the US, but it puts Nepal at great risk.
Nepal needs an independent, self-determined and
yet friendly relationship with China, India and
the USA, not a one-sided dependence on one of
these countries!], Parties
that accused UML of subverting Parliament are
themselves doing it : Ministers are skipping
budget-related discussions and experts call it
insult to the people and Parliament. Ministers
must be accountable to Parliament, says UML
chief whip, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Strike
banned in 25 most essential services (rep),
NRNA
controversy in Parliament, lawmakers
demand information on talks with the UK
(rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
10/06/2022: Call
for bill on out-of-country voting, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), HC
orders govt to find whereabouts of those
disappeared till 2006 (ht), Deuba’s
six months as Congress chief: Success in polls
but party left in disarray : Party yet to form
several committees and departments while many
central committee positions are still vacant.
Insiders say leadership failed to adhere to
party charter, by Anil Giri (kp) [All Nepali political parties
lack democratic structures and processes. They
are under the authoritarian control of ageing
and failed high-caste male politicians who cling
to their posts, disregard the diversity of
society and deny the participation of women,
youth and migrants!], Confusion
engulfs budget plan to set up Rs500 billion fund
for farm financing : Central bank says it was
unaware of such plan. Bankers, who have already
lent hundreds of billions to the sector, are
concerned about who will regulate the
microfinance fund, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Life
on the line : We seem to have normalised
standing in long queues as part of daily
existence (kp), Forex
reserves decline 18 percent in 10 months of
running fiscal : Existing foreign currency
sufficient only to cover import of merchandise
and services for 6.53 months (kh), Foreign
policy of Nepal : Learning from past, present
situation and vision for future. Nepal has to
grow out of the ‘a yam between two stones’
mindset and the self-defeating notions of an
insignificant, impoverished, and peripheral
state, by Surya Subedi (kp), Nepal’s
Gen Next : Mainstream parties feel threatened by
the handover of power from the past to the
future, by Sarala Gautam (nt), Rise
of the independents : Mayors Balen Shah and
Harka Sampung prove how Nepal’s democracy should
function (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
09/06/2022: Tribhuvan
University system doesn’t recognise transgender
student : For trans individuals, it’s a constant
fight in every step with systemic barriers
almost on all fronts, by Aakriti Ghimire
(kp), Janata
Samajbadi on the brink as conflict escalates
between Yadav and Bhattarai : Two leaders came
together in May 2019, but differences have
surfaced now which could even alter national
politics, by Anil Giri andTika R Pradhan
(kp), US
General Charles Flynn arriving in Kathmandu
today (kh) [The
continued interference of the US in Nepali
politics is intolerable. The global power
struggles of the Americans are being played out
completely ruthlessly on the back of little
Nepal!], Top
US Army official is arriving today : Nepal Army
could ask for delivery of sky trucks but no
agreement likely on rifle supply, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [But one
can be sure that the US will again push for
Nepal's participation in the Americans'
Indo-Pacific security approach against China.],
'Inform
parliament about US-Nepal military visits'
(rn) [The fundamental
right to information is unknown in Nepali
politics!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
08/06/2022: Why
are police so quick to shoot during
protests in the Tarai? Eighteen-year-old
Nabina Tharu died on Monday of bullet
wounds from a police shooting, just one
of at least 16 who’ve died from being
shot during protests in the last five
years, by Bhrikuti Rai and Shristi
Shakya (rec) [The
Nepali police have not yet learned to
respect basic human rights. They beat,
shoot, kill, torture whenever they want!],
Nepal-India
EPG dilemma: To receive or not to receive the
report : What if the Indian government continues
to refuse to receive the EPG report? Can the
Nepali side make it public unilaterally?, by
Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), Will
communist forces come together before the
federal polls? As some of the communist leaders
are making public statements about the need for
reviving the communist alliance for the federal
parliament elections, experts say the prospect
is too distant at the moment, by Nishan
Khatiwada (nlt) [Why?
All these parties are under the authoritarian
and anti-democratic control of long failed
ageing males with whom Nepal has no future!],
Rationalizing
Nepal’s Foreign Policy amid Changing Dynamics of
Geopolitics, by GP Acharya (rep), Bancharedanda
locals clash with police over garbage dump row :
Police fire tear gas shells to disperse
agitators (kh), Six
policemen injured in clash with locals in
Nuwakot’s Bancharedanda : Police fire six rounds
of tear gas shells, 18 protestors arrested
(kh), Why
are police so quick to shoot during protests in
the Tarai? Eighteen-year-old Nabina Tharu died
on Monday of bullet wounds from a police
shooting, just one of at least 16 who’ve died
from being shot during protests in the last five
years, by Bhrikuti Rai and Shristi Shakya
(rec)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
07/06/2022: Woman
dies as police open fire in Bardiya, five-member
committee formed to probe incident (nlt), Bardiya
locals continue protest following death of
teenager in clash with police : An 18-year-old
girl died of bullet wounds on Monday when police
opened fire at protestors seeking protection
from wildlife attacks (kp), Do
we really need public enterprises? In Nepal,
public enterprises were regarded as a vehicle
for development. They were taken as an
instrument for the production and for the
execution of socio-economic policies, by
Anjila Shrestha (nlt), Nepal
drops down in global rankings on budget
accountability: What does it indicate? This
shows that citizens now have less access to
timely and comprehensive information they need
to participate in decision-making and hold the
government to account, by Subhash Dahal
(nlt) [see report
results on Nepal], Will
Parliament get more independent lawmakers, after
local election results? Encouraged by local poll
verdict, independent candidates are eying
federal elections, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
Rise Of The Independents, by Shyam Prasad
Mainali (rn), Deepening
federal democracy : The experience of the last
five years shows that federalism has empowered
local units, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Ensure
Justice To Conflict Victims, by Uttam
Maharjan (rn), 17
years on, justice still eludes victims of
Badarmude (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
06/06/2022: Battle
of narratives : Political parties, basking in
their complacency, didn't bother to check the
rear-view mirror, preferring to just look ahead,
by Avasna Pandey (kp), Two
years on, Nepal yet to implement Nairobi ICPD25
commitments (nlt), Term
limits for higher office: Focus on legacy,
by Sumit Pathak (ht), Government
targets too ambitious and unrealistic, experts
say : Budget contains a list of populist
schemes—most of them plain impractical, insiders
say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Indifference
to education : Successive governments have
failed to address the concern related to the
supply of textbooks (kp), Empowering
Dalits : We still have a long way to go to end
all forms of discrimination because of the
cultural mindset (ht), Govt
overturns its decision on giving two days weekly
leave : Public holiday to be granted only on
Saturdays from June 15 (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
05/06/2022: Leaving
both houses without deputies reflects poorly on
parties’ commitments : As House Speaker and
Assembly chair are men, their deputies have to
be women. Parties’ apathy leads some to suspect
if they are being neglectful of women’s
representation, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Nepal's macho men like to
violate the constitution and laws when it comes
to preventing women's participation!], Laws
versus realities: Where is Nepal failing in
environment protection? Nepal has ample
constitutional and legal provisions to promote
environmentalism. The government just needs to
implement them, by Jivesh Jha (nlt), Polluted
politics seeking a way out, by Devesh Jha
(kh), Buoyed
by success of local polls, Deuba for holding
elections by end of November : Encouraged from
local polls, the premier holds confidence in the
coalition despite some concerns shown by
partners, by Anil Giri (kp), CPN
(Unified Socialist) recalls its cabinet
ministers, recommends new names for ministerial
appointments (rep), UML’s
Premiership Offer: A Red Herring, by Ritu
Raj Subedi (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
04/06/2022: The
caste struggle: Discrimination rife despite laws
in place : 16 years ago, Nepal was declared free
of untouchability and discrimination. But Dalits
continue to suffer, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
No
escape from poverty for marginalised Chidimars :
This year’s budget has not addressed the
crushing poverty of the endangered Chidimars, a
community that remains marginlised for
generations, struggling to manage basic needs,
by J Pandey (kp), NHRC
urges govt to investigate death of Harijan in
custody (kh), Austerity
is good but government has created more
liability for itself : Costs for salary and
pension of government staff and social security
up by Rs76 billion for the next fiscal year as
the ‘election-oriented’ budget focuses on
populist schemes, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Risky
Tentacles Of Social Science Game, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
03/06/2022: Ruling
party lawmakers also find fault with new budget
: Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa says
funds have been allocated disproportionately to
benefit certain politicians in western Nepal,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Leaving
no one behind : The central promise of the UN’s
Sustainable Development Goals is to ‘leave no
one behind’. But with just eight years left to
achieve the target and local participation still
minimal, is the UN pledge achievable?, by
Biswash Chepang (rec), Lawmakers
draw government’s attention to rising inflation
: Lawmakers accuse government of not taking any
measures to tame inflation and rising prices of
petroleum products (nlt), Lawmakers
call on government to provide relief to people
by arresting inflation (kh), Citizens
appeal to protect the dignity of Supreme Court :
‘The act of directing the government to defy the
court verdict on the construction of Nijgadh
Airport is against Regulations of the House of
Representatives.’ (nlt), ADB
projects Nepal’s GDP to fall by 4.97 percent in
2030 due to school closures : “Severe
disruptions in school education during the
pandemic has impacted children through their
formative years which will affect their
employment opportunities and earning potential
for many years.” (nlt) [see ADB
report], Green
is the colour of money and nature : Nepal’s
public and private banks start to work together
to finance a green economy, by Angel Li
(nt), Something
Wrong : Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand said
that the government is committed to implement
NHRC’s recommendations (sp), Lessons
From The Local Elections 2022, by Dipak
Gyawali (sp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
02/06/2022: In
search of justice : People who lost their loved
ones during the Maoist conflict are still
seeking closure (kp), House
likely to expire with dozens of bills pending as
tenure draws to close : Some bills, including
crucial ones, have been stacked since first
meeting in March 2018, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
[This is the result of
the direct failure of the Oli and Deuba led
governments and the entire party political
leadership of the country!], Changing
political spectrum : Rejection of the
‘traditional elite’ was clearly on the minds of
the Kathmandu electorate, by Deepak Thapa
(kp), Clashes
erupt in Nepalgunj over ex-King Birendra’s bust
installation : Police open fire in the air and
lob tear gas canisters to contain the clash
(nlt), Tension
as royalists try to install late King Birendra’s
statue in Nepalgunj (kh), Nine
injured in Nepalgunj clash (rep), Some
police hurt in clash with local people in
Nepalgunj (kh), Dahal
in bid to drive a hard bargain as exercise
begins for general elections : Insiders say much
depends on how Deuba and Maoist chair reach a
deal on a number of issues, including seats
distribution and power sharing, by Anil Giri
(kp), No
lesson learned from the last year’s monsoon
devastations : Displaced people are at risk of
many communicable and vector borne diseases in
the monsoon season, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Post
Local Polls: Possibility of Magical Change
without Civility, by Pragya Panta (rep), Parliamentary,
provincial elections proposed by mid-November :
Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya for
conducting polls in two phases (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
01/06/2022: Conflict
victims have high hopes amid fresh bid to
deliver transitional justice : Two decades since
the end of the war, not much has been done to
address the concerns of those who faced
atrocities at the hands of the state and Maoists,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Killing
by other means : The criminal system that takes
in young, healthy humans and returns dead bodies
must stop (kp), The
tests that await independents : Nepal needs to
free itself from the shackles of dogmatic
leaders in their 60s and 70s, by Paban Raj
Pandey (kp), Madhesh
has been completely cheated in budget for coming
fiscal year: Yadav (rep), Embrace
Ethical Leadership, by Tulasi Acharya (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
31/05/2022: Custodial
deaths continue with little being done towards
investigation : Most of those dying in custody
under suspicious conditions are from
marginalised groups, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Parties
widely used children in campaigns as poll body
remained ineffective : Poll body failed to crack
down on parties and stood as a mere spectator,
observers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Implications
Of Local Polls Outcome, by Bhupa P Dhamala
(rn), The
Balen Shah magic: Its retrospect and prospect,
by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), How
Balen Shah, Harka Rai, and Gopi Hamal won their
elections, by Jagadish Paudel (rec), Congress
came first, followed by UML in second position
in local polls. Will it shape the outcome of the
federal elections? Here are some scenarios : How
will Nepali political parties fare in the
upcoming elections then? What will be their
election strategies after the local poll
results?, by Nishan Khatiwada (nlt), Upset
at local election results, two Madhes parties
look for options : Will Janata Samajbadi and
Loktantrik Samajbadi explore merger for upcoming
polls?, by Anil Giri (kp), Budget
prioritises boosting local production over
infrastructure : Finance Minister says budget
addresses recommendations from private sector to
promote production rather than trade, by
Krishana Prasain (kp), An
eye on the elections : It is customary to bring
a large budget and then dial down the
allocations over the year (kp), Rekindling
hope : This election and the results have
provided many pointers that we need to take
positively, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
30/05/2022: 22-year-old
woman raped in Rupandehi (kh), Lawmakers
register resolution proposal demanding removal
of time limit in rape case (kh), Amend
the statute of limitations : The time limit to
file a case fails to reflect rape and sexual
violence as heinous crimes, by Mandira
Sharma and Mohna Ansari (kp), Court
extends Manoj Pandey’s custody :
Kathmandu District Court on Monday
granted the Metropolitan Crime Division
permission to extend the custody of the
rape accused by seven more days (kp),
The
causes of invalid votes in Nepal, by
Yatindra KC (nlt), Rightist
Rastriya Prajatantra Party cashes in on people’s
frustration with major parties : As the party
improves its vote shares, it hopes to fare
better in upcoming polls, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Govt
says it’s taking Nijgadh Airport project forward
despite SC order to stop it (rep) [This is a clear contempt of
court! The decision of the SC is binding on the
government!], House
panel directs govt to remove legal obstacles to
Nijgadh Airport (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
29/05/2022: Police
torture a minor who killed a man for allegedly
trying to rape her , by Upendra Yadav (rep),
Panel
to investigate youth’s death in prison : Legal
experts say the probe team must be independent.
Sundar Harijan, who was behind bars instead of a
real criminal, died in Rolpa jail under
suspicious circumstances, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Why
the statute of limitations on rape cases is
against fundamental rights : There is renewed
debate on removing the limit while reporting
cases of sexual violence, by Aakriti Ghimire
(kp), Populism
and ad-hocism in policymaking: How it will
aggravate Nepal’s economic troubles : The
concern right now is what will happen if
international fuel and food prices and dollar
appreciation do not abate? Is there a proper
plan with the government to tackle such a grim
prospect?, by Dikshya Singh and Kshitiz
Dahal (nlt), Budget
day: Concern is rising inflation and economists
warn against bloated plan : Experts call for a
budget that addresses current economic
challenges while avoiding populist tilts in the
election year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and
Krishana Prasain (kp), Delay
in supply of textbooks affects coursework : The
new academic year in many mountain districts
kicked off over 10 days ago but the lack of
textbooks has rendered lessons ineffective,
teachers say, by Krishna Prasad Gautam (kp),
Nepal’s
per capita debt reaches Rs 63,310 (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
28/05/2022: How
women candidates fared in local polls : Female
deputy chiefs are fewer but there are more
chiefs compared to last elections, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Independent
candidates rock Nepal’s local elections. What
does it show about opportunities, challenges and
messages? Many see the victory of independent
candidates as the result of people’s frustration
with and lack of trust in traditional political
parties. Is that the only case?, by Nishan
Khatiwada (nlt), Local
elections: 385 independent candidates secure
victory (rep), 14,402
women elected in local level elections across
country (kh), Sunita’s
entry into politics not a coincidental one,
by Asmita Belabase (rep), Electoral
Shifts In Local Governance, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Balen
has challenges galore as he takes over as
Kathmandu mayor : Non-partisan Shah has to
navigate the officialdom and a host of party
representatives who constitute municipal
assembly and executive body that make and
enforce decisions, by Binod Ghimire and
Arjun Poudel (kp), Laws
should be revised and amended to make local
level effective: Gagan Thapa (kh), Why
are Nepalis not keen on electric cooking?
Outages and power tripping : Nepal imported
cooking gas worth Rs52 billion in first 10
months of the year amid calls for making
kitchens electric, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
and Krishana Prasain (kp) [As long as there is not enough electricity
all year round, but only for a few months, this
is unlikely to be an option for people.],
Resolution
motion calls for ending statute of limitations
on child rape : The motion registered in the
National Assembly also demands review of the
statute of limitations on rape cases other than
rape of children (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
27/05/2022: Mavericks
steal the show : The victories of independent
candidates reflect the frustration of citizens
with the parties (kp), Despair
amid hope : The Nepali state must assure its
citizens the country does not just belong to
upper caste men, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Is
it time to put a two-term limit for executive
and legislative posts? Some observers say there
is a need to review provisions to make way for
generational change and allow new faces to lead,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal
Army chief to visit Pentagon ahead of Deuba’s
Washington trip : General Prabhu Ram Sharma’s
proposed travel date is late June, which comes
amid increased US political engagements in Nepal,
by Anil Giri (kp) [??],
Top
court full bench quashes decision to reduce life
sentence of Ranjan Koirala : Koirala’s sentence
was reduced to 8 years, 6 months. He was
released on July 23, 2020, by Tika R Pradhan
and Binod Ghimire (kp), Outburst
Against Sexual Violence, by Bini Dahal (rn),
Local
election results: Marred by tortoise-paced
counting, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), NRNA
submits memo to Minister Paudel (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
26/05/2022: NHRC
urges to carryout effective investigation into
rape and sexual violence incidents (nlt), ‘Balen’
canes parties with the walking stick : Kathmandu
voters rap Congress, UML on the knuckles as they
pick a rapper, also a structural engineer, as
their new mayor, by Binod Ghimire (kp), China
nudges Nepal on One-China policy : Beijing seems
to be wary amid a series of visits from the
United States and a senior official’s recent
meetings with Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu,
by Anil Giri (kp), Promises
galore : People have become used to taking these
hollow statements with a pinch of salt (kp),
Supreme
Court orders govt not to build international
airport in Nijgadh (kh), Nepal’s
top court bars govt to construct Nijgadh
International Airport : Conservationists
and environmentalists were against the
plan arguing that it would cause
irreparable damage to the environment
and wildlife in the eastern Terai's only
remaining natural hardwood forest
(nlt), Supreme
Court halts construction of multi-billion-dollar
Nijgadh airport : An extended full bench quashes
all government decisions regarding the airport,
envisioned as an alternative to Tribhuvan
International Airport (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
25/05/2022: Petition
filed at the top court seeking removal of
statute of limitations on rape : Six female
lawyers who registered the petition claim the
time limit is in violation of constitution,
by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Sudurpaschim
fails to elect women, Dalits in chief roles :
Number of women representatives elected in
deputy mayor and vice-chairperson positions has
also decreased as compared to previous local
elections, by Arjun Shah (kp), Tough
Jobs Await Local Leaders, by Yuba Nath
Lamsal (rn), Bibeksheel
Sajha Party Chairman Rabindra Mishra resigns :
Mishra said he tendered his resignation from the
post of the party’s chairman on the ground of
morality, taking full responsibility for the
polls results (nlt) [A small step for Mishra, a big step for
democracy, republic and secularism!], Fertiliser
shortage haunts farmers ahead of looming paddy
season : Fertiliser shortage is major problem
repeating every crop season in the past several
years, by Binod Bhandari and Arjun Rajbanshi
(kp) [It is the same
every year, no matter which incompetent
government is in power!], Erosion
of republican resilience : A republic works only
when its citizens are committed to making it
work, by CK Lal (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
24/05/2022: Kin
of Dalit youths killed in Rukum (West) two years
ago demonstrate at Maitighar demanding justice :
Nabaraj BK, along with five of his friends, was
killed on May 23, 2020, for allegedly trying to
elope with a girl from the so-called ‘upper
caste’ (kp), Growing
concrete expanse : Unless the necessary steps
are taken, nothing will prevent an urban
catastrophe (kp), Scope
of private blended finance : The strategy is to
attract commercial capital to projects that
contribute to sustainable development, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Local
Poll Deflates Oli's Ego, by Narayan Upadhyay
(rn), A
teenage girl was raped, and killed
extrajudicially during insurgency, UN says : The
girl, 16, was arrested by a squad of 20 army
personnel from her house in Kavre on February
13, 2004 (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
23/05/2022: Local
polls are over. It’s time for voting reforms :
Nepal had five years to plan for better
elections and a better election process. But
there have been no reforms, similar patterns are
being repeated, by Shreya Subedi (nlt), Parties
have much to learn from independents' rise,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Much
talk but little action to tame rising inflation
which is biting Nepalis hard : There should be
social protection schemes, fair price shops and
reduction of import duties to offset price
rises, experts say, by Sangam Prasain and
Krishana Prasain (kp), What’s
in store for the five-party alliance after local
vote results? With increased bargaining power,
the Maoists may want to continue partnership,
but CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajbadi
Party look unhappy, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Resham
Chaudhary won election from hiding. His
5-month-old party claims Tikapur when he is in
jail : Tharus who feel they were shortchanged by
the state have spoken through the ballot,
activists and analysts say, by Binod Ghimire
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
22/05/2022: Post
politics in Nepal : Disillusioned or not with
the parties, a large number of people turn out
to cast their votes, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Local Polls: Outcome
And Message, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Visiting
US official meets with Tibetan refugees despite
Kathmandu’s caveats : Nepal is in a precarious
situation as it navigates carefully to maintain
a fine balance amid rapid geopolitical shifts,
by Anil Giri (kp), Residents
of Khotang depend on helicopters to
reach hospitals : Pregnant women suffer
the most from a lack of good hospitals
and roads in Khotang, by Dambar
Singh Rai (kp), Statute
of limitation related to rape comes
under fire, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht),
#MeToo
in Nepal: Yet another case of sexual
assault allegation comes to the surface
: A victim makes public the details of
how the perpetrator, her school
principal, raped and blackmailed her for
two years and yet nobody believed her
(nlt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
21/05/2022: #MeToo
gathers force but calls for sustained movement :
Social media posts by a girl detailing sexual
violence necessitate immediate action to reform
laws to ensure justice as society is invariably
failing women and girls, by Aakriti Ghimire
and Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Youths
protest in Kathmandu demanding justice for rape
victim : A case of alleged sexual abuse of a
woman has triggered a rage against rape in
Nepal. Youths in Kathmandu have taken to the
street demanding justice for a victim who was
allegedly raped some eight years ago (nlt),
Youths
demonstrate demanding justice for victim, action
against perpetrator (In pics) (kh), Home
Ministry urges for help in investigating video
clip told incident related to VAW (kh), Rape
accused Manoj Pandey arrested (nlt), Vote
count in 684 out of 753 local bodies over : NC
wins mayor/chair in 303 local levels; UML in 185
and Maoist Center in 116 (kh), Stability
was a common refrain. Local polls hint at more
unstable politics : It’s tough for any party to
gain majority in general elections. Experts
suggest measures to ensure stable governments,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Overcoming
Public Policy Dilemma, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
20/05/2022: Protesters
demand justice and extension of statute of
limitation in cases of sexual violence (With
Photos) (rep), A
howl for justice : Galvanized by a series of
videos detailing one woman’s harrowing
experiences of being raped as a minor, Nepali
women and men take to the streets in protest,
by Nishi Rungta (rec), Stop
blaming the rape survivors, speak up for justice,
by Shreena Nepal (nlt), Building
Public Faith to Build Our Democracy, by
Milan Jung Katuwal (rep), Vote
count in 628 of 753 local levels over : NC wins
mayor/chair in 280 local levels; UML in 173 and
Maoist Center in 112 (kh), Over
150 local units set to be devoid of
representatives, creating a vacuum : Experts
show problem with the system, including the law
that restricts poll body’s powers, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Increasing
concrete cover in Valley causing more urban
floods : Experts for building infiltrating ponds
to avert flood disasters and recharge
groundwater, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Cut
down to size : Citizens have shown what they
think of CPN-UML's actions in recent past
(kp) [The question
remains: Why are Oli's coup and the
anti-democratic months-long blockade of
parliament still not being prosecuted?],
JSP accuses NC and Maoist Center of
betrayal in polls (rep), Election
Economy : After the election, there is an
economic disaster waiting to strike Nepalis,
by Rabin Giri (nt), How
not to be a Sri Lanka : Nepal’s disease may not
be as severe as Sri Lanka’s, but the symptoms
are the same (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
19/05/2022: NC
dominates results tally with wins in 252 local
units, UML victorious in 164 municipals
(nlt), How
local elections punctured CPN-UML’s bloated ego
: The largest party from the 2017 elections
appears set to get relegated to a distant second
with gains for the Congress and more bargaining
power for the Maoists, by Tika R Pradhan and
Binod Ghimire (kp), Impressions
from the election past : The big takeaway is
that nothing mattered in the end except the
promise of change, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Crunching
effects of inflation : The adversely affected
are always those at the bottom of the economic
pile (kp), Civic
Engagement At Local Level, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Balen
Shah's popularity: Nepal seeks a new national
party, by Sumit Pathak (ht), Nepal
polls: Crying foul when polls don’t go
their way : This time, it is the turn of
the main opposition, CPN-UML, to cry
foul over the outcome even as vote
counting is still underway, by Kamal
Dev Bhattarai (ae)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English),
evening (Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
18/05/2022: Uphold
Women’s Constitutional Rights, by Namrata
Sharma (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
17/05/2022: Constantly
spurned, how Dalits united to create history in
local elections : A team of independent Dalit
candidates wins four out of five seats in Ward 8
of Kanakasundari Rural Municipality in Jumla,
including the post of chair, by DB Budha
(kp), Sexual
assaults on blind women go unreported : Several
blind women have fallen prey to sexual
assaulters in Bajhang but the families’ apathy
and society’s behaviour towards sexual assault
victims have kept many of them from claiming
justice, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Towards
voting reform : Election symbols were an
alternative when the literacy rate was 20
percent in 1960, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Slow-paced
counting : The best way to reduce the time for
counting the votes is to switch to the
Electronic Voting Machine (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
16/05/2022: Why
aren’t more women selected as
candidates? Patriarchy alone is not a
sufficient explanation for the lack of
women in candidate selection for the
recently held local elections, by
Seira Tamang (rec),
Inflation
making life difficult for the poor and
vulnerable : Global price rises, devaluation of
the Nepali rupee and artificial price hikes by
traders pushing goods and services out of reach,
by Krishana Prasain and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Pregnant
women in Achham die for want of treatment :
Rural women are deprived of safe motherhood
services due to illiteracy, poverty and lack of
public health awareness, by Menuka Dhungana
(kp), Disillusioned
voters : The truth of the matter is that people
are fed up with the antics of politicians
(kp), Local
polls: Nepali Congress looks set to gain, and
also to be saviour of Maoists : UML reacts with
charges of rigging as alliance seems to have
worked to give the odds in favour of ruling
parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp) Sluggish
vote counting calls for switching to
tech-friendly elections : The pace at which
ballot papers of municipal elections are being
counted is tiring and cumbersome and is a source
of controversy, observers say, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
15/05/2022: Nepalis
in general love to vote. Why is turnout low
then? Disenchantment? In Kathmandu Metropolitan
City, poll officials say, just half of the
registered voters showed up to cast their ballot,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Festering
political feud resulted in violent election day,
observers say : Single-phase vote also stressed
security, making forces unable to contain the
violence, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Call
for action against those who made it difficult
for persons with disabilities to vote :
Depriving persons with disabilities of their
voting right has legal consequences, rights
bodies say (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
14/05/2022: People
vote with hope and fervour even as they resent
politicians, parties : There are some reports of
violence in different parts of the country, but
the vote was largely peaceful, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Counting
votes within wire fences reflects degrading
political culture : Fears of shenanigans have
grown, prompting measures like CCTV and fencing,
by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
13/05/2022: Local
polls: Nepal votes to elect local
representatives for the next five years :This is
the second time Nepal is voting in the local
polls after the country adopted a federal
democratic system in 2015 following the
promulgation of a new constitution, by Ashim
Neupane and Nishan Khatiwada (nlt), Nepal
votes for local leadership (rec), Nepalis
head to the polls to shape the country’s future
(kh), Nepal
polls: Go vote for grassroots democracy : 17.73
million people are voting today to elect over
35,000 local representatives for 753 local units,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), People
displaced by the earthquake in Rasuwa are still
awaiting resettlement : As many as 174
quake-displaced families are staying in
temporary shelters at Khalte, by Balaram
Ghimire (kp) [They
urgently need the right to vote "None of them"!],
Tell
your own story : Citizens can decide whether
they want to elect somebody who governs them or
serves them (kp), Raute
community deprived of voting right, again
(rep), Health
insurance must be an election agenda : Nepal’s
health insurance program is due for urgent
reform, or it risks being obsolete, by Gaj B
Gurung (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
12/05/2022: The
more teeth to poll commission, the stronger
democracy will be, observers say : There are
laws but the election body lacks resources—human
and financial—to crack down on wrongdoers,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Mute
representatives : Clueless about the day’s
business in the House, lawmakers are hardly keen
to discuss the bills (kp), The
pace of federalism : Federalism is a new
exercise in Nepal, and it is not unusual for
challenges to appear., by Khim Lal Devkota
(kp), Implications
of low women representation in local polls,
by Neelam Dhanuse (rep), Local
Polls : Parties Put Heavy Stakes, by Mukti
Rijal (rn), Local
election: Are candidates aware of climate
issues?, by Ghanashyam Khanal and Yatish
Acharya (ht), For
a new destiny : Let’s turn our collective anger
into wisdom. This time, let’s vote for Nepal,
the Nepalis and a new destiny, by Devendra
Gautam (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
11/05/2022: Lack
of voter education in Achham villages may lead
to invalid votes : Both parties and their
candidates have failed to give due importance to
the voter education campaign. As a result, many
eligible voters are unaware of the voting
process creating high chances of invalid votes,
by Menuka Dhungana (kp), Nepal’s
lawmaking process lacks consultation : Four
years of federal parliament have been
disappointing for participatory lawmaking,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [KP
Oli in particular, but also the Deuba-led
government, have repeatedly tried to eliminate
the popularly elected parliament. It is
completely incomprehensible why these
politicians want to run again in parliamentary
elections!], Voting
rights for all : Persons with disabilities in
Nepal continue to be excluded from the electoral
process (kp), The
oligarchy celebrates local polls : The
fundamental appeal of municipal polls lies in
their ideological vacuity, by CK Lal (kp), Inflation
fears as banks report large withdrawals ahead of
local elections : Central bank expects currency
in circulation to rise by Rs10-15 billion during
the elections, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Only
31% capital budget spent (rn), Local
election manifesto: More ritualistic, less
realistic, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali), and Nepal Live
(evening)
10/05/2022: About
half of Nepal’s voters will not be able to
cast their votes in local polls (rep),
Despite
law, Nepal fails to achieve Dalit women
representation in wards : Parties say they
failed to find candidates, an argument Dalit
activists do not agree with, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), For
people with disabilities, there are barriers
galore to right to voting: Secrecy, lack of
ballot papers with tactile relief, and tall
tables are key infrastructural issues, by
Aakash Chaudhary (kp), Waiting
for inspiration : Unless our politicians realise
the plight of the ordinary people through their
suffering, nothing fruitful can be expected
(kp), Tall
promises : "None of the political parties has
unveiled any plans for generating resources to
fulfill their promises" (ht), Revenue
collection hit by import curbs amid falling
foreign exchange reserves : Sluggish capital
spending and liquidity crunch also blamed,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Why
import ban is undesirable : This policy is
practically suicidal since the banned items are
major sources of revenue, by Achyut Wagle
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
09/05/2022: Balen
Shah: A youth icon, and a ray of hope amid
politics of despair. Balen Shah has emerged as a
symbol of hope for change, an icon for those who
are deeply dissatisfied with established
political parties to look up to in Kathmandu,
by Nishan Khatiwada (nlt), Promises,
promises : Candidates have been promising voters
the earth and the sky as usual (kp), All
roar, no bite: Poll body says will monitor
spending. Experts doubt : The Election
Commission has announced it will deploy
officials to monitor campaign expenditures, but
analysts say they see little chance of action
against overspending, a key source of corruption,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), In
Madhesh Province, the political landscape is
changing : Analysts say the CPN-UML will likely
gain from the deep divisions in the Madhesi
parties and the alliance politics of five ruling
forces, by Anil Giri (kp) [KP Oli has also pursued a
sometimes brutal anti-Madhesh policy since 2015
and has shown no understanding for the concerns
of the Tarai people. It is hard to imagine that
the people have already forgotten this!],
Farmers
high and dry as local units fail to help : Local
governments only care about construction of
roads and bridges, neglecting agriculture,
voters say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Education
Voters : Unless voters are shown what a real
ballot paper looks like, they could be
disoriented in the booth (ht) [Because of the
anti-democratic manipulations of the local
elections by the national party leaders, it may
be even worse this time than five years ago!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
08/05/2022: A
left turn Congress is taking as the party
attempts to counter communist forces : The grand
old party, which believed in free and open
market policy, is now toeing the line leftist
forces followed, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Local
Polls: A Democratic Milestone, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn), EC
warns against use of other party flags, election
symbols (ht), Majority
of local levels see old faces (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
07/05/2022: The
list of wrongdoings by the Deuba government goes
long but Kathmandu is fairly quiet : Don't be
fooled. Not much has changed since Deuba
replaced Oli, except that Deuba could get the
much-debated MCC Compact ratified, by
Mahabir Paudyal (nlt), Call
to facilitate participation of persons with
disabilities (kh), Civil
society body urges EC to facilitate
participation of differently-abled people in
local polls (rep), Local
polls more complicated now to predict with
alliance politics and splits : Despite Deuba’s
wish and Dahal-Nepal’s compulsion, their poll
partnership did not take off well, and UML hopes
gains, by Anil Giri (kp), Arzu
under fire for her remarks to stop grants where
Congress loses : Analysts say her remarks
reflect a lack of understanding of how the state
functions, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [This is not only offensive,
it is criminal and corrupt!], Election
hits school enrolment campaign : School
enrolment campaign has not been able to make
much headway since most people are either out
participating in political rallies or listening
to the political campaigners, say educators,
by Samjhana Rasaili (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
06/05/2022: Season
of lies : The range of dissemination possible in
the social media age helps amplify false
information (kp), Dahal’s
theatrics and his fixation with Bharatpur stoke
discontent in party : Insiders allege Pushpa
Kamal Dahal is all about his family and kin at
the expense of the CPN (Maoist Centre), by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Budget
session is just weeks away but uncertainties
loom : Holidays and House rules are obstacles,
and there’s the protesting UML too (kp), Local
Polls Deepen Democracy, by Bhupa P Dhamala
(rn) [But not if they
are appropriated and controlled by the national
level!], Women
in the informal economy: Recognise their
contribution, by Shreeju Niroula (ht), Exploring
the barriers to the right to inclusive
election in Nepal : Despite elaborate
provisions on including persons with
disabilities in political and public
life in Nepal, political participation
by persons with disabilities remains
minimal, by Dev Datta Joshi (rec), Press
for people : Nepali journalists
find themselves at the
crossroads: carry on doing what
they did, or adjust to a new
mediascape, by Sahina
Shrestha (nt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
05/05/2022: Nowhere
safe to go, people in disaster-hit areas live in
terror as monsoon nears : Hundreds of people
still living in places identified as unfit to
reside seven years ago, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Salyan
villagers forced to use polluted river water :
Around 40 percent of the people in the district
have no access to clean water, by Biplob
Maharjan (kp), Electoral
syndicate against women : From the first
election, one thing that hasn't changed is the
politics of hegemonic masculinity, by
Chandra Bhadra and Sucheta Pyakuryal (kp), Global
inflation straining Nepal’s forex reserves :
Nepal’s external economic situation isn’t
worsening to the level of Sri Lanka but warning
signs are visible, experts say, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Going
local : Candidates seem to be in the dark about
the powers and functions of local bodies
(kp), Industrial
sites continue to be hammered by power outages :
Nepal has to fall back on imported power in the
winter when domestic output drops to one-third
of the installed capacity, by Madhav
Dhungana and Shankar Acharya (kp), EC’s
Push For Electoral Reform, by Mukti
Rijal (rn), Cause
of rebel candidature: Party indiscipline
or wrong modus operandi?, by Jibaraj
Pokharel (ht)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
04/05/2022: Sthapit’s
remarks, audience reaction put society’s view of
women in focus : Concerns over safety and
security of women under leadership of such
patriarchal men, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), Modi
to visit Nepal amid need to review relations in
the wake of geopolitical shifts : Delhi sending
Navin Srivastava, a strong China hand, as its
new Nepal envoy ahead of the Indian prime
minister’s trip, by Anil Giri (kp), EC
directs candidates, political parties to spend
through banking system (kp), NHRC
calls for further investigation into
newly-appointed IGP Singh for human rights
violation (rep), Roti-Beti,
Electricity, Connectivity, Security and
Beyond, by Samar SJB Rana (rep), Press Freedom Still Faces
Challenge, by Namrata Sharma (rn)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
03/05/2022: Nepal:
The culture of silence among journalists on the
rise, by Guna Raj Luitel (rep), World
Press Freedom Day 2022: Nepal records 55
incidents of press freedom violations in a year
: “No efforts were made to address impunity
relating to crimes against journalists. Justice
is awaited both in conflict era and
post-conflict cases.” (nlt), 75
incidents of press freedom violation occur in a
year (kh), Nepal
progresses in Freedom of Press Index (kh) [??], A
troubled agency called Nepal Police, thanks to
Nepali politicians : Country’s key law
enforcement agency faces controversies because
of political parties’ vested interests, by
Anil Giri (kp), Covid
response fund releases money after 14 months :
The fund remained idle during the second and
third waves due to political wrangling, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), SC seeks
written response from govt for not submitting
reports on time (kh), Nepal
progresses in Freedom of Press Index (kh) [??], CEC
Thapaliya calls on mass media to aware people on
voting rights (kh) [Also on the voting rights of election
workers, security personnel and the millions of
migrant workers that have been denied by
politicians for years, despite clear directives
from the Supreme Court?], Govt
raises a loan of Rs 221 billion in nine months
(kh), Private
sector suggests govt impose high customs duty on
goods that can be produced domestically
(rep), NRB
tightens cash withdrawal through credit cards
(rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
02/05/2022: As
the election date is approaching, game of lies
and deceit in Nepal : The political
parties have started distributing freebies to
attract voters and secure their seats. Taxpayers
are going to have to bear the costs. The
government’s capital budget is going to take a
huge toll, by Anjila Shrestha (nlt), Election
Commission has stricter code of conduct but
lacks mechanism to monitor it : Observers find
many clauses impractical as neither parties can
follow them nor officials can check compliance,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), The
school of failure : Local governments should
invest in quality education at the school level
(kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
01/05/2022: May
Day: Let’s acknowledge the contributions of
older workers, by Sanju Thapa Magar (nlt), Voters
in Birgunj are perplexed as to who to vote for
because of alliance politics : Since the Madhes
Movement, the parties that championed it have
splintered and ultimately joined hands with the
forces they once rebelled against, puzzling
voters, Tufan Neupane and Bhusan Yadav (kp),
Listen
to the locals, by Parmeshwar Devkota (rn), Row
Of Rebel Candidates, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn), Americans
are flying into Nepal in droves. Is there any
renewed interest? The MCC Compact’s passage and
75 years of bilateral ties are the reasons, but
there’s more to it, analysts say, by Anil
Giri (kp), Making
Nepal Prosperous: The Way Forward,
by Suyesh Raj Pyakurel (rep), 35pc
Bajura people living in extreme poverty
(ht), International
Workers’ Day: Daily wagers struggling to
survive (kh)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
30/04/2022: Women
leaders from across the political spectrum say
they feel constrained : Their representation in
local elections has been trimmed but they cannot
speak up. Female politicians say the fight will
continue though, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), As
alliance parties threaten rebel candidates,
Election Commission says that’s criminal act :
The election body states that the threats
violate citizens’ legal and constitutional right
to take part in elections, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp) [When will the
so-called top politicians finally be punished
appropriately for their constant high-handed
behaviour? Non-election of such persons and
their protégés would be an appropriate response!],
Over
4,000 withdraw candidacies, by Ranju Kafle
(rn), RPP
expresses concern over death threat issued
against the party’s candidate (rep), Political
Empowerment Of Citizens, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Women
rights group demand action against Sthapit over
his insensitive comments : The UML mayoral
candidate for Kathmandu is not fit to run for
the post, say 45 rights organisations (kp),
Making
Nepal Prosperous: The Way Forward, by Suyesh
Raj Pyakurel (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
29/04/2022: Woman
tortured for dowry, despite court order
(ht), Expanding
fiscal health space in Nepal : The government
needs to explore additional sources of financing
to expand the fiscal space of healthcare
services, by Gauri Pradhan (nlt), Fewer
women this time : Underrepresentation of women
in politics has long-term drawbacks (kp), Poll
panel's new directive unfair to fairer sex : Can
affect women's representation in civic bodies as
parties prefer to oblige alliance partners,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), All-male
executive candidates (ht) [related to
Itahari], Whose
election is it anyway? Kin and clan networks
will once again play a formidable role in
determining victory margins, by Amish Raj
Mulmi (kp), Coalition
Politics – Feat or Anarchism?, by Devesh Jha
(kh), Rebel
candidates refuse to heed party orders to
withdraw from race : Election Commission
officials say it is against the code of conduct
to pressure the candidates to pull out, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Just
to remind you: In November 1994, "rebel
candidates" caused Girija's defeat after he
refused to meet Ganesh Man Singh's legitimate
demands!], Ruling
alliance directs rebel candidates to withdraw
candidacies : Nepali Congress is making a
last-ditch effort to appease Jagannath Poudel
who has filed an independent candidature against
Renu Dahal in Bharatpur Metropolis to withdraw
his candidacy (nlt) [Nepal is a federal state. The national
party leadership cannot issue directives in this
regard, at best recommendations!], Don’t
force anyone to withdraw candidacy: Election
Commission (rep), Indicators
look bad but statistics bureau paints glowing
picture of Nepali economy : Economists question
5.87 percent optimistic growth data released
just before Nepal goes to polls, calling it a
cheery prediction, by Sangam Prasain (kp), Top
US official to visit Nepal prior to local
elections : Under secretary for Civilian
Security, Democracy, and Human Rights arriving
in the first week of May, by Anil Giri (kp)
[Sounds like ongoing US
influence!], Local
Bodies Need Capacity Building, by Udbodh
Bhandari (rn) [The
centrally imposed party alliances aim at exactly
the opposite!], Ruling
parties agree to cancel coordination with other
parties immediately (rn) [If this is to apply to all
levels of the federal system, then the latter is
reduced to absurdity!], Supreme
Court continues interim order against
govt’s decision to suspend NRB Governor
Adhikari (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
28/04/2022: Dalit
youth thrashed to death over dispute (ht), Public
availability of electoral roll data raises
privacy concerns : Experts are wary of potential
misuse of the data on all registered voters that
has been made public and is easily accessible to
anyone on the internet, by Aakriti Ghimire
(kp), Alliance
politics impacts female candidacy in local level
elections : Close to 41 percent women had won in
2017, but fewer will be elected this time, with
nomination number itself down, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Nepali
Congress in turmoil as alliance politics chafes
scores of local leaders : Insiders say leaders
and cadres in lower committees deprived of their
right to speak up, by Anil Giri (kp) [The party leaders'
understanding of democracy is exactly the
opposite of democracy!], Deuba
urges ‘rebel’ NC leaders and cadres to withdraw
their candidacies (rep) [Local politicians should not be called
rebels just because they stand up for democracy
and federalism, which are disregarded by the
party leadership!], Arguing
for depoliticization of local level elections,
by Sarita Giri (kh), Industrial
sector to face more power cuts amid reduced
supply from India : Supply disturbance from the
southern neighbour has forced the Nepal
Electricity Authority to repeatedly cut power to
the sector, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Electricity
export from India affected : Industrialists
propose two-day power cut; Face losses running
into billions (ht), Nepal
bans imports of luxury goods amid dwindling
forex reserves : The government response follows
growing concerns that the country could face an
economic crisis (kp), Priority
Agenda For Health Strategy, by Jhabindra
Bhandari (rn), Curbing
Monetary Muscle In Polls, by Mukti Rijal
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
27/04/2022: Parties’
freebies and doles blow hole in state coffers,
economists say : During the election season,
political forces make announcements of free
goods and services which could do more harm than
good and destroy the system, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Centralised
decisions to pick local poll candidates raise
questions galore : Deuba warns Congress rebels
to back off. Oli tells UML mutineers to resist
impulses, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The Political Party Act
needs fundamental democratic revision: the power
of party leaders must be drastically curtailed;
all parties must be forced to comply with the
constitution and laws and to be socially
inclusive at all levels of the parties and in
the nomination of election candidates, under
threat of deprivation of party status; expulsion
or otherwise "punishment" of party members for
expressing an opinion different from that of the
party leaders must be made almost impossible. In
the context of local elections, all parties are
acting anti-democratically and
unconstitutionally!], Coalition
partners seek electoral alliance within camp
(rn) [These so-called
top politicians simply do not want to understand
that in the federal system they have no right to
prescribe such things to the local level!],
Keep
the peace : The alliance among the ruling
coalition partners is likely to evaporate by the
time of the federal elections (ht) [By then, these
self-appointed leaders will have successfully
destroyed local democracy!], Party
nomination for local poll : Marked by
dissent and disappointment, by Jiba Raj
Pokharel (ht), Crack
the whip : The Election Commission should punish
the candidates or parties that flout the code
(kp), Voting:
A Voice Of The Voiceless, by Balmukunda
Regmi (rn) [But only if
candidates are also nominated who represent
their interests and not those imposed by the
central party leadership!], Low
Women Candidacy Breaches Statute, by Namrata
Sharma (rn), Believing
in democracy, once-extremist forces of Chand and
Raut are joining the poll fray : The hardliners
joining the elections is a good move and it does
not matter whether they win or lose, experts say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
26/04/2022: Talking
out of their hat : Lest the parties forget: They
cannot fool all of the people all of the time
(kp), Hard
to retain last election’s achievements with less
women candidates this time (kh), How
disinformation poses security threat and what
Nepal should do : Failure to prevent
disinformation and misinformation on time could
lead to a serious national security crisis in
the long run, by Narayan Adhikari (nlt), The
idea of ‘alternative politics’ is failing in
Nepal. What went wrong?, by Nishan Khatiwada
(nlt), Keshav
Sthapit’s candidacy for Kathmandu mayor sparks
furore : Sthapit has been accused of sexual
harassment by at least two women, by Aakriti
Ghimire (kp), Health
care issues despite being vital remain
neglected in local elections :
Candidates and parties must come up with
practical and realistic health care
plans, say doctors, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Mangalsen
women see no point in voting : Women of
the remote Achham local unit demanded a
ban on alcohol, introduction of
women-centric programmes at the local
level and accessibility to a good
healthcare system, but their demands
remain unaddressed, by Menuka
Dhungana (kp)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
25/04/2022: Local
Election 2022 : Expectation vs reality, by
Ayushma Maharjan (nlt), On
a slippery slope : After sliding into
particracy, Nepal's democracy is degenerating
into kleptocracy (kp), All
deals are local : Electoral alliances will
essentially make the voting process a formality
in many places, by Anurag Acharya (kp), Supreme
Court set to decide today on petition on women’s
representation in local governments : Deadline
given to political parties to file nominations
for the May 13 local level elections ends today,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Albatross
of an election alliance. Coalition yet to decide
candidates for most places : Election offices
brace for a hectic schedule today with just
around 10,000 candidacies filed on Sunday,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The
fundamental interference of party leaders to
enforce central power interests in local
elections does not fit the democratic principles
of a federal state anyway!], First
Five Years of Federalism in Nepal, by Khim
Lal Devkota (rep) [Yes,
the federal state could be a good political
system for Nepal if the top politicians of the
parties finally gave up their centralist pattern
of thinking! Right now they are again preventing
democracy and development on the local level!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
24/04/2022: Democracy
or kakistocracy? Democratic values undermined,
institutions heavily politicized, meritocracy
completely neglected, rampant corruption and
nepotism unabated. Nepal, many believe, is
heading toward a democratic kakistocracy
(nlt), Parties
struggle to select candidates for local polls on
the eve of nomination filing : Coalition’s
challenges huge despite deal to share seats at
all units. Even UML has yet to decide on various
positions, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Poll
Alliances And Discontents, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn), Contractors
launch ‘construction holiday’ starting from
today (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
23/04/2022: Alliance
for local polls raises spectre of the notorious
‘all-party mechanisms’ : The so-called all-party
committees were a tool for the parties to share
the spoils, and experts fear a repeat of the
practice that will degenerate into kleptocracy,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Congress
faces revolt in grassroots bodies over
seat-sharing decision : Disgruntled leaders and
cadres in several units vow to defy alliance and
contest local elections as independents, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The
top politicians of all major parties continue to
practise the centralist state!], AWC
appeals voters not to vote human rights
violators (kh), EC
asks leaders in closed list of PR system to
remove names if they want to contest local polls
(kh), Writ
petition challenges ambassadorial nominations :
Petitioners say recent nominations have ignored
principles of inclusion and call for new
nominations (kp), From
Parochial To Reflective Citizen, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
22/04/2022: Call
for meaningful participation of Dalits in local
level polls (kh), Putting
Hometown First : The local leadership should be
selected based on whether the elected leaders
can develop their village or town and how
patriotic they are, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn),
JSP
dissatisfied as ruling coalition allocates mayor
of Nepalgunj to NC (kh), UML
feels the heat as nomination filing dates draw
closer : The opposition party, which was putting
on a brave face, is now seeking support from
several fringe parties, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), China
asserts, with envoy addressing issues—help for
Nepal to world order : Hou Yanqi says Beijing
stands for its southern neighbour as she sheds
light on the difficulties investors face in
Nepal and challenges in cross-border railway
from north, by Binod Giri (kp), Street
vendors are crucial to urban economy, but their
plight is huge : Those doing business on
footpaths and alleys need help, not harassment,
experts say, by Pawan Pandey (kp), Trade
deficit widening despite govt attempts to curb
import (kh), State-sponsored
economic crisis : The real emergency in Nepal’s
economy is not the Ukraine War, but a
self-serving government (nt), Mismanaged
Nepal, by Tilak Rawal (sp), A
Tumultuous Destiny, by K. Uprety (sp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
21/04/2022: NHRC
calls for ensuring women’s proportional
representations in local election (kh), Advocacy
group calls for meaningful representation of
Dalits in local governance : Samata Foundation
says existing representation is encouraging but
not in proportion with the population (kp),
“Voters
should exercise their sovereign rights while
voting”, interview with Laxman Phuyal (kh),
Parties’
promises in doubt as most are drafting local
poll manifestos centrally : Until local
committees get to draw their bespoke manifestos,
such papers become mere campaign rhetoric,
experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Discontent
brews in Congress after allies finalise
seat-sharing for 17 major cities : A section in
the party and observers denounce alliance
politics, saying such a practice shrinks
democratic space, by Anil Giri (kp) [Nepal is a federal state in
which the national party leadership can only
make recommendations to the local party level,
but should not impose any directives, especially
regarding the nomination of local election
candidates and electoral alliances!], What’s
enticing some central and provincial leaders
into local politics : Assembly members and
former ministers are eyeing mayoral posts
because of the lack of space at top tiers and
more resources at the local level, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [... and
contribute to making the local level socially
even less inclusive!], Lower
revenue collection raises questions about health
of economy : Officials say liquidity crunch and
sluggish capital spending slow down economic
activities but tourism hopes are high, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), It’s
the economy, stupid : You don’t need a
weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing
(kp), Party
leaders reach Musahar settlement after five
years since last election (kh) [This proves the whole
disinterest of the politicians!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
20/04/2022: CM
Pokhrel blames federal curb for province’s
failure to work as per expectation (kh), Nepal
Rastra Bank’s autonomy restored : There is room
for the Ministry of Finance to act like a big
brother should it choose—wrongly—to do so,
by Paban Raj Pandey (kp), Nepal
finance minister faces moral question after top
court rules against move to suspend central bank
governor : With an interlocutory order to the
government not to enforce its April 7 decision,
Adhikari is set to resume office, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Power
shortage in India hits supply to Nepal. Firms in
east face outages : Nepal still relies on power
imported from the south, where generation is
running low now, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Patchy
approach : What the government has done to
address the problem seen with the foreign
exchange reserve is inadequate (ht), Pre-local
election dynamics in Nepal : Theory and reality,
by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
19/04/2022: How
think tanks and social innovation can help in
better policymaking : A new crop of think tanks
is emerging. The government can step up and work
with them with some help from the donors if
needed, by Simone Galimberti (nlt), Ruling
coalition to finalize distribution of
metropolises and sub metropolises today (kh)
[Nepal is a federal
state. Nominating candidates for local elections
is not the responsibility of national party
leaders!], “Keeping
us out of elections will obstruct peace process”,
interview with Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma (CPN), On
the horns of a dilemma: To restrict imports or
make the revenue : Private sector for hiking
duties to curb imports instead of banning
foreign goods amid looming economic crisis,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Krishana Prasain (kp),
NC
Stands To Benefit From Poll Alliance :
Having allied with the ultra-rightist
party of Kamal Thapa's RPP-Nepal and
pro-Christian party, Nepal Pariwar Dal,
Oli has made his intentions clear,
by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Elected
representatives need to resign if they
wish to contest again : Supreme Court
quashes petition against poll
commission’s mandatory requirement of
resignation (kp) [This is now binding
law, but still not rationally
comprehensible. The then Chief Justice
Khil Raj Regmi did not even resign from
his position as CJ in 2013 when he took
over as head of the executive.],
In
Madhes Province, voters turning away
from Madhes-based parties, by Mukesh
Pokhrel (rec), Supreme
Court stays govt’s decision to suspend
NRB Governor Adhikari (nlt)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
18/04/2022: Patriarchy
plagues the lives of young girls in Siraha :
When one girl acts beyond the traditional norms,
all other girls in the village face the
consequences—their education is discontinued and
they are married off, by Aakriti Ghimire
(kp), Achham
district judge who passed a controversial
decision on a rape case called to Supreme Court
: Nabin Kumar Joshi last month slapped a
three-and-a-half-year jail term to a rape
victim, citing a non-existing legal provision
(kp), Former
Judges Forum-Nepal seeks probe into incompetent
judges (kh), Dalits
demand respectable, proportional representation
in upcoming elections (ht), As
political parties focus on winning seats,
electorate takes a back seat : Polling day is
only 26 days away, but none of the parties
except for Rastriya Janamorcha has unveiled
their manifesto for the local level election,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), No
drastic measures : Politicians need to get their
heads out of the sand and start thinking
constructively (kp), Is
the crisis deepening? It is not that the economy
is not in trouble, but it is not so severe or
dire as some are saying, by Jagadish Prasad
Bist (kp), Correct
Information Key To Fair Polls, by Ballav
Dahal (rn), CPN-UML
to support Joshi's son (ht) [Here, too, nothing more than
flawless nepotism!], NC
cadres against electoral alliance in local
election: Leader Thapa (kh), In
search of subnational policies : A large number
of policies are going to remain the same across
all provinces and our development aspirations,
for the time being, will be determined more by
federal policies and institutions than by
provincial institutions and policies, by
Yatindra KC (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
17/04/2022: Election
alliances of Nepali parties: sense or nonsense
in local elections?, by Karl-Heinz Krämer
(kh), Alliance
politics may help parties but for first-time
voters, it comes with confusion : During local
level elections, an adult votes for seven
candidates. Remembering all the symbols and
cross-party candidates will be difficult,
observers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), In
desperate bid, UML collaborates with two fringe
parties on polls : As the five parties take
forward their electoral alliance plan, the
opposition party makes boastful claims even
while pursuing any potential tie-up, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal
seeks overseas nationals' help to build up forex
reserves amid economic woes (rep), NRB
staffers protest against govt move to suspend
Governor Adhikari (rep), Seeking
reinstatement, suspended NRB governor files
petition at Supreme Court (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal Live (evening)
16/04/2022: Some
100 provisions in 43 Acts are discriminatory to
women : If political parties don’t want to amend
the discriminatory laws, then the constitution
itself should be amended, experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [The
constitution has to be amended anyway to uphold
women's rights. The Oli government has always
fundamentally rejected this and the current
government is no better.], Dalit
women were elected in numbers. But have they
been empowered? Despite holding posts,
experience as decision makers was not
encouraging as discrimination continued, they
say, by Tika R Pradhan and Binod Ghimire
(kp), Allies
set ways of candidate selection but disputes
remain on the ground : Members of the ruling
coalition themselves doubt the alliance’s
effectiveness, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Local
level free to use discretion regarding electoral
alliance: NC Gen Secy Thapa (kh), Solutions
to the Crisis of Depleting Forex Reserves,
by Lokesh Todi (rep), Governance
Of Economic Life, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), 74
incidents of press freedom violation in 2078 BS
(ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
15/04/2022: Nepal's
political system: Does it need to change for the
better?, by Mim Bahadur Pariyar (ht), Rising
inflation, slower growth stoke stagflation
concerns : As inflation galloped to a 67-month
high of 7.14 percent in March, World Bank
slashes Nepal’s growth forecast to 3.7 percent,
by Sangam Prasain and Krfishana Prasain (kp), State-sponsored
economic crisis : The real emergency in Nepal’s
economy is not the Ukraine War, but a
self-serving government (nt), Take
restrictive measures to avert an economic crisis,
by Surendra Pandey (kh), Economic
diplomacy takes a back seat as diplomats fail to
push it : Experts stress making it a part of the
country’s overall diplomacy so as to advance and
achieve economic goals, by Anil Giri (kp) [What can you expect when the
majority have no diplomatic experience but get
their posts on the basis of kinship or party
affiliation?], Landless
see ploy in distribution of temporary land
ownership papers ahead of local elections :
Local representatives distributed 1,197
temporary land ownership documents to landless
families in Shuklagandaki and Bandipur last week,
by Samjhana Rasaili (kp), Govt’s
capital expenditure stands at meager 27.45
percent of the targeted amount in Q3 (rep),
Debunking
the Low Capital Expenditure Practice : What
Engineers Say!, by Pradip Kumar Kafle (rep),
Nepal
to miss growth target as concerns about economic
woes intensify : Fuelled by higher commodity
prices, surging inflation is also making life
much tougher for many Nepalis (ht), Government
positive to address demands of Janamat Party:
Home Minister Khand (rep) [Election campaign tactics
send their regards!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
14/04/2022: Women
in politics : One can have all the rules and yet
find a million ways to sidestep them (kp) Is
Nepal heading toward the worst economic crisis?
While indicating that the worst may be yet to
come, economists warn that if the government
doesn’t work on correcting the course, the
Nepali economy might end up in a red zone soon,
by Ashim Neupane (nlt), Warning
signs : Our total export is insufficient even to
purchase fuel alone, whose prices have soared
due to the war in Ukraine (ht), Nepal’s
economic growth projected at 4.7% in FY 2079/80
(kh) [??], Slower
yet gradual growth expected for Nepal amid
global challenges, says World Bank (ht), Central
bank independence : Inflation can be high when
there is a problem in the central bank’s
independence, by Ram Neupane (kp), NC
endorses election manifesto (kh) [Local elections do
not so much need a party manifesto at
the central level. They are primarily
about the local concerns and interests
of the voters, and these vary widely
from region to region. The same applies
logically to electoral alliances.],
Electoral
alliance will not serve NC’s interest:
Gen Secy Thapa (kh), How
remittance is fuelling agricultural
risks and unplanned sprawl : In 1989,
the urban cover occupied just 221.1 sq
km of the Tarai, but this had increased
to 930.22 sq km by 2016. Agriculture’s
share in the GDP has fallen markedly
over a decade, by Aakriti Ghimire
(kp), EC
for vacating stay on code provision,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Elections
law defines circumstances of ballot
counting centre capture (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
13/04/2022: Let
Women Lead Local Levels, by Namrata Sharma
(rn), Ambassadorial
appointments: Unqualified, yet fortunate
individuals, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh) [Nepotism as usual!],
Dr.
Deuba calls for electoral quotas for women based
on proportional inclusion (kh), Central
bank paints grim picture of Nepal’s economy :
Inflation is rising, BoP is ballooning,
remittances are falling and imports surging,
Nepal Rastra Bank reports, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Experts
warn against supply cuts as daily fuel imports
hit Rs1 billion : Fuel accounts for 14.1 percent
of Nepal’s imports. Officials believe curbing
imports can put economy back on track, by
Krishana Prasain (kp), Unhappy
countries of South Asia : The commonality of
unhappy countries is as clearly recognisable as
that of the happy ones, by CK Lal (kp), UML
and RPP-Nepal ink a deal to forge electoral
alliance, RPP-Nepal candidates to contest the
poll with UML’s election symbol (rep) [It is legally hardly
conceivable that RPP-Nepal candidates should be
allowed to stand with the party symbol of the
UML!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
12/04/2022: ‘The
human rights situation in Nepal is still far
from satisfactory’, interview with Nirajan
Thapaliya, Director, Amnesty International Nepal
(nlt), Sledgehammer
to central bank autonomy : The passage of the
Nepal Rastra Bank Act was seen as a safeguard
against political interference, by Achyut
Wagle (kp), Action
against governor may put Nepal in IMF’s bad
books : One of the IMF’s conditions for
approving $396 million credit facility is that
central bank and its personnel’s autonomy should
be strengthened further, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha and Anil Giri (kp), Funds
shortage hits plan to expand nutrition
rehabilitation centres across the country :
Nepal’s Sustainable Development Goals target on
nutrition is unlikely to be met, health
officials say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Nirvik
Nari: An event celebrating women :
Panellists describe the challenges women
face at both social and policy levels
(kp), Rising
campaign spending : Failure to ensure
financial transparency will facilitate
corruption and cronyism (kp), No
to luxury items : As there is no sign of
replenishing the foreign reserve, we
have to impose a ban on importing luxury
goods (ht), Opponent
bashing in politics: An appalling civic
felony but not in Nepal, by Pushpa R
Joshi (ht), Peak
of liquidity crisis: Borrowing reaches
Rs 101 bln, liabilities cross Rs 200 bln
(kh), Women’s
Participation in Elections in Nepal,
by Shreeju Niroula (rep)
see also news
programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
11/04/2022: Election
year is here. Poll expenses major cause for
concern : Questions asked: Who funds politicians
and why do they do that? Observers say costly
polls are a source of corruption, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Shooting
the messenger : Action against Nepal Rastra Bank
governor is more whimsical than a studied
decision (kp), Governor
faced action for not cooperating with finance
minister: PM Deuba (kh) [When COAS Katawal
refused to cooperate with the Maoist-led
government in 2009 and was therefore
dismissed, the then President Ram Baran
Yadav, who was elected as the NC
candidate, immediately reversed this
decision. How times change!],
Ex-FinMins
condemn suspension of NRB guv : Call it ruling
coalition's move 'to cover up its own
incompetence under finance minister' (ht), Bad
precedent : The erosion of NRB's autonomy could
lead to the appointment of a new governor with
change of govt (ht) [Yes, because of the total party-political
infiltration of all spheres of public life, all
functionaries of the country will then be
replaced on average at least once a year. This
means that politicians will still have no time
at all for their actual tasks! But at least they
can cover up their incompetence!], Economy
in crisis but how grave is it? Economic
turbulence looms large with half of the
country’s income going to import bills. But
situation manageable if immediate mitigation
measures are taken, economists say, by
Sangam Prasain and Krishana Prasain (kp), BRI
and MCC : Implications for Nepal, by Dron
Lamichhane (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
10/04/2022: Governments
come, governments go. Badis’ condition as bad as
ever : Ranked at the bottom even among Dalits,
generations of Badi have endured extreme
socio-economic marginalisation over the past
century, by Aakriti Ghimire (kp), What
ails five-year-old provinces? Provincial
governments were largely non-performers but
non-cooperation from Singha Durbar is to blame,
leaders say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Action
against governor causes unease among Congress
leaders : Leaders say the party has been dragged
into Maoist agenda and the uncalled for decision
could backfire, by Anil Giri (kp), Date
set but why some are doubting timely polls :
Several factors at play including difficulty in
forming alliances and petitions at court, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Health
insurance policyholders bear the brunt of
payment arrears by authority : Hospitals curtail
services to those covered by health insurance
owing to delay in payment by insurance board,
by Madhab Aryal (kp), Doing
diplomacy differently: Bridging the gap between
policies and people : Public diplomacy should
not just be about promoting culinary delicacies
and cultural traditions but also about finding
better ways to involve and engage people in
foreign affairs, by Simone Galimberti (nlt),
Nepal’s
deepening economic crisis: Opposition CPN-UML
slams the government on economic slowdown : The
Opposition said the coalition parties themselves
have conflicting views on vital issues such as
economic policy formulation, bi- and
multilateral assistance mobilization, and role
of the private sector in the economy (nlt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
09/04/2022: Financially
hard for women to contest elections (kh), Keep
up our local level representation, women leaders
urge Deuba, poll body : Parties fighting
elections in an alliance are likely not to field
women candidates for both top local government
positions, taking advantage of a flaw in the law,
by Binod Ghimre (kp), Election
Commission tweaks provision for level
representatives to contest polls : People's
representatives registering candidacy in the
local-level elections should sign a document
mentioning not availing government facilities
(nlt), Governor
suspended when economy is in crisis and finance
minister in question : Government forms a
committee to look into Governor Adhikari’s
activities, leading to his automatic suspension,
by Anil Giri and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Government’s
health insurance scheme fails to retain
subscribers : Only 20 percent of the total
population is covered by the scheme and dropout
rate is high owing to poor service delivery at
healthcare institutions, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Middlemen
rake it in while farmers and consumers suffer :
Kathmandu residents pay high prices for
vegetables, but growers get little of the money,
by Pawan Pandey (kp), Just
Pursuit Of Civil Society, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
08/04/2022: Five
years of local governance: What went wrong?
Several instances show that the local
governments have grossly failed to abide by the
constitutional spirit. Corruption is what they
have excelled at, by Jivesh Jha (nlt), Time
to cleanse local governments : If the parties
field incompetent and corrupt candidates, voters
should reject them, by Dinesh Pant (kp), EC ready to make
clear code of conduct (kh), Can
Bandi bring the transitional justice process on
track? Victims and rights activists say it is
possible if he doesn’t compromise on the stand
that he has so far been taking, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Ambassadors
recommended for 20 countries including China :
Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, a rights activist and
conflict victim, has been picked for Beijing
under Maoist quota, by Anil Giri (kp), No
data as malnutrition turns into major killer in
Bajura villages : Lack of detailed study in
Muktikot, other villages worsens situation when
the actual toll of deprivation is unknown,
by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Around
500 women and children rescued from Nepalgunj
border point (rep), President
nominates Dahal as NA member (kh) [Nepotism at its best!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
07/04/2022: Nepal
Amid Triangular Geopolitical Game, by Yuba
Nath Lamsal (rn), Bipartisan
Congress delegation from US to arrive on April
23 : Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to lead the team
to Kathmandu. The team from Washington is
arriving on the heels of MCC Compact’s passage,
which Beijing has objected to, by Anil Giri
(kp) [Sincere help is
very welcome and urgently needed by Nepal, but
not interference and abuse of Nepal in
international power conflicts, especially those
with its immediate neighbour China! Of course,
this also applies reciprocally to China],
Voting
process is going to be complex as parties go for
electoral alliance : Voters of parties in the
alliance will have a tough time finding the poll
symbols and remembering which party has fielded
candidates for which positions, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), UML
objects to provisions in election code of
conduct (nlt), Time
is of the essence : Every little measure should
be taken to ensure economic stability at a
precarious time (kp), Policy
conflict in Nepal : Up until the 1970s, there
was a misconception that once policy is made, it
is implemented, by Chandra Ghimire (kp), Advocate
Gobinda Bandi, a non-lawmaker, appointed as law
minister (rep) [There
cannot be enough male Bahuns in the government!],
Lakhan
Thapa Magar Foundation demands UML Chair Oli to
withdraw his statement on first martyr of Nepal
(kh), Nepal
bans import of luxury items amid depleting forex
reserves (rep), Citizen
Participation In Service Delivery, by Mukti
Rijal (rn), Government
recommends names of ambassadors to 20
countries (with list) (kh) [Three quarters of
them are Bahuns, which once again shows
who considers themselves as the owners
of this land!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali), and Nepal
Live (evening)
06/04/2022: Voting
rights for Nepalis abroad: Full of promises,
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