SC Judges To Submit 13-Point Amendment Proposals
The full court meeting of the judges of the Supreme Court (SC), on Sunday (January 7), decided to submit 13-point amendment proposals on the interim constitution. The proposal is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister on Monday. The judges have, however, decided to leave it to the politicians to accept their proposals or not. “We have unanimously endorsed the 13-point recommendation to the government seeking amendment in the interim constitution,” said judge Min Bahadur Rayamajhi. The judges have opposed the idea of letting the Prime Minister appoint Chief Justice and have suggested that the Constitutional Council headed by the PM should be authorized to pick the CJ. “Some of the judges including CJ Dilip Kumar Poudel and judges Kedar Prasad Giri and Tahir Ali Ansari, had disagreed over recommending amendments in the interim constitution claiming that it would be useless to make recommendations, which would not be accepted by politicians. But, we think it is our duty to express our concern over the independence of judiciary,” another judge said. CJ Poudel will separately meet the PM and the Maoist leadership to hand over the meeting’s decisions, soon. The judges have suggested change in the composition of the constitutional council while appointing CJ only and have proposed committee comprising the PM, the CJ, the Speaker, the Law Minister and a SC judge assigned by the outgoing CJ to form the JC. Disagreeing with the provision of the CH taking oath of the office in the parliament, they have proposed that the CJ will take oath of office before all the SC judges, who will, in turn, take oath from the CJ. Judge Anup Raj Sharma said the judges are mindful to respect the spirit of Jana Andolan II and make the judiciary accountable to it. The judges have sought entitling the CJ as Chief Justice of Nepal instead of Chief Justice of Supreme Court. The judges have also expressed disagreement over the provision of impeaching judges on the ground of physical and mental incapacities and sought inclusion of impeachment grounds as mentioned in the 1990 Constitution. The judges have also opposed the idea of submitting the SC annual report to the Prime Minister allowing its discussion in the Parliament. They want the present provision of just making public the SC report maintained. The Himalayan Times daily reports
Parties Raise Objections To Judges’ Recommendations
The parties and the Maoists have raised objection to the move made by the judges of the Supreme Court to submit amendment proposals on the interim constitution. Home Minister Krishna Sitaula has expressed surprise over the move. “It is the function of the political parties and the parliament to finalize and promulgate the interim constitution. If there are some weaknesses, it is again the duty of parties and the parliament to change them. I am surprised to hear that the SC judges have called for amending the document, which has not yet been made public,” Sitaula said. Nepali Congress general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel charged the SC of failing to embrace the reality by making such recommendations. Jhal Nath Khanal, standing committee member of the UML, said that although giving recommendations on flaws was natural, the institutional move made by the SC judges was objectionable and seemed political. Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist leader, said the recommendations were of political type. He said this move justified his party’s stand till the last minute that all SC judges must be reappointed. “There (in the SC) is a gathering of reactionaries since the time of Rana period. And now, those reactionaries trying to be active,” he accused. Kantipur daily reports
JTMM (Singh) Ready For Talks Under UN Mediation
Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), an armed outfit led by Jwala Singh, which is active in parts of Terai, has said it is ready for UN-brokered dialogue with the government. Issuing a statement Saturday (January 6), Jwala Singh said the JTMM was ready to sit for talks under UN monitoring -- and if the government comes positively towards its demands. Singh, who formed his own armed group after parting ways with the JTMM led by Jai Krishna Goit, also set nine demands including recognition of Terai as an autonomous province, appointment of Terai-origin people in all government offices in Terai region, delimitation of election constituencies based on population ratio, return of land and properties captured by the Maoists and a census in Terai led by Terai people.
He also demanded that the revenue collected in Terai region be used entirely in Terai and Rs 1.5 million compensation be provided to each of the families of those "killed by the state" in Terai. Singh's statement came a few days after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said at a program in Biratnagar that the government was ready for talks with the JTMM. The JTMM, which had split from the CPN (Maoist) few years earlier, is involved in individual killings, abduction and extortion in Siraha, Saptari and surrounding districts. nepalnews.com reports
Delay In Interim Constitution Could Affect Polls: CEC
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr. Bhoj Raj Pokharel has said that any inordinate delay in the promulgation of the interim constitution could affect the holding of Constituent Assembly elections on time. According to Dr. Pokharel, CA elections cannot be held on time if there is any more delay in promulgating the interim constitution. “More there is delay in its promulgation, more there will be delay and complications in formulating necessary legal mechanisms,” Dr. Pokharel said at a press conference on Friday (January 5). The CEC also informed that the Election Commission (EC) will proceed with the task of collecting and updating the voters’ list from January 23. He said over 22,000 employees will be deployed throughout the country between January 23 and February 6 for the purpose. However, the task of collecting and updating the voters’ list in mountainous regions would be held a few weeks later. The employees would soon be trained before they are deployed. Likewise, in Terai region, the voters’ list will be further updated once the task of distributing citizenship is completed by mid-March. The whole task of collecting and updating the voters’ list is expected to be completed by mid-April. The EC plans to complete other tasks by mid-June to be able to hold the actual polls by then. Compiled from reports
Indo-Nepal Transmission Line To Be Built
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Indian private sector are joining hands to build cross-border transmission line – an important infrastructure in exchanging of power. For the first time, 220 kv transmission lines are being built in four places across the border on a purely commercial basis. An MoU to this effect was signed on Friday (January 5). Arjun Kumar Karki, executive director of NEA, and DK Mittal, managing director, of Indian Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) signed the MoU. Karki claims that transmission line in two places will be completed within two years. “After the construction of these transmission lines, the existing load shedding will end and a ground will be prepared for foreign investment in Nepal ,” Karki said. The four proposed transmission lines include Butwal-Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh); Dhalkebar-Mujaffarpur ( Bihar ); Duhabi-Purnia ( Bihar ); and Anarmani-Siliguri ( West Bengal ). Of them, the Butwal-Gorakhpur and Duhabi-Purnia will be constructed on priority basis. Forty-five days after the signing of MoU, the NEA and IL&FS will set up a separate joint venture company, which will mobilize investment, construct, operate and maintain the transmission lines. Likewise, a company each will be set up in Nepal and India . In a Nepali company, NEA will have 50 percent share, Indian company will have 26 percent share and the rest will be owned by Nepali banks and financial institutions. A similar company in India will coordinate with Power Grid Corporation of India . Kantipur daily reports
Prachanda Asks Cadres To Allow Police Post Restoration
Following warning by the Prime Minister that Maoist move to thwart police post restoration could affect the holding of the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, Maoist chairman Prachanda, on Wednesday (January 3), issued special directives to his cadres asking them to allow the restoration of police posts and return of VDC secretaries. He has also condemned moves to portray Maoists as being against CA polls by raising the issue of police post restoration. Prachanda has asked his cadres to allow immediate restoration of police posts in Terai. In case of hilly areas, he has said the restoration should occur as per understanding. He, however, has warned that this decision could lose its justification if interim constitution is not promulgated on time and interim parliament is formed. He has also said that the responsibility of the consequences should be shouldered by the government. Meanwhile, Home Minister Krishna Sitaula has said that the restoration of police posts would be completed by mid-January. According to Nepal Police of its total 1981 police posts, 1271 had been displaced due to conflict. Till now only 341 of them could be restored. Leading dailies report
Middle Marsyangdi Works To Resume
After both the government and the Maoists agreed to extend their cooperation to its construction guaranteeing full security and cooperation, the German-based consultants of the Middle-Marsyangdi hydropower project have given the green signal to resume its stalled works. The Fischner JV – international consultant of the project – withdrew its suspension order on Friday (January 5) paving way for the resumption of the project construction works, which were stalled a week ago. All the eight contractors of the project had withdrawn their works citing threats by the pro-Maoist workers who reportedly compelled them to recognize their trade union by using intimidating and threatening tactics. Soon after they suspended the works, the Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara wrote a letter stating that his party does not have any policy of threatening or using force against contractors or workers of the project. Similarly, the Home Ministry also issued a statement saying it would provide full security to the project workers. Subsequently, the meeting held among the Nepal Electricity Officials, consultants and contractors on Thursday had decided to resume the project works. The decision was approved by the headquarters of the consultants, which is based in Germany , on Friday. Following this approval, the contractors have decided to resume works from Friday itself. The 72 MW Middle Marsyangdi project is being financed by German government. Its completion has already been delayed by three years and its costs, too, have doubled due to the delay. Leading dailies report
Cold Wave Continues To Lash Terai
The cold wave that has lashed Terai region for the last one week has claimed lives of around 18 persons in different districts. In Rautahat, three more persons died on Tuesday (January 2) due to cold. Similarly, people have died in Bara, Dhanusha and Siraha districts also. Because of dense fog, people have stopped venturing out of their homes. Flights have been disrupted as the visibility has dipped down. Kantipur daily reports.
