THE ELECTION COMMISSION (EC), on Sunday (July 15), registered eleven political parties and provided them with election symbols. The parties were registered after detailed study of their application documents. The EC has also provided them with election symbols. Nepali Congress (NC), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have retained their past symbols Tree, Sun and Plough, respectively. Likewise, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP-Anandidevi), too, have retained their symbols 'Madal' and Hand. Nepali Congress (Democratic) has obtained 'Kalash.' The Maoists have been given the symbol of Hammer & Sickle. The Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) has obtained Umbrella while National People's Front has got Glass as their symbols. The Communist Party of Nepal (United) and Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) have got Sickle and Maize.
ENDING THE UNCERTAINTIES, THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given green signal to proceed with the Melamchi project. Following the meeting between visiting ADB delegation and Ministry officials on Sunday (July 15), Minister for Works and Physical Planning Hisila Yami has said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given a 'green signal' to proceed with the multi-million-dollar Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP). "They have urged us to move forward in a new framework," she said. Yami added that the delegation assessed the physical and institutional reform measures, which are required before starting the construction of tunnel of the project. "They have given us good message and asked us to work in a new framework," she said. The ADB headquarters had dispatched the delegation led by its deputy director general of South Asia Division Sultan Hafeez Rahman following request made by the government of Nepal to proceed with the MWSP. Earlier, after Yami refused to honor the previous government's agreement to allow UK's Severn Trent to handle the management of valley's water distribution system, the ADB had warned it might not renew the funding commitment for the project. However, later it agreed to hold further talks with the government. ADB is the principal donor for the project and has agreed to finance the construction of 26 km long tunnel – said to be the costliest component of the project – to bring water from Melamchi river to Kathmandu valley.
THE ELECTION COMMISSION (EC) has proposed the schedule for the upcoming constituent assembly elections scheduled for November 22. As per the EC schedule, the commission will publish the election program on September 22. Parties and individuals will have to file their candidature by September 24 for direct election and by September 26 for election based on proportional representation. The commission will issue the election symbols to candidates and parties by October 10. The commission has set aside 41 days for public campaign for the candidates contesting the election. The voting will be held on November 22 in one phase from 7 am to 5 pm, the EC has proposed. The EC held discussion on its proposed schedule with the representatives of political parties, on Friday, at the EC office. "We have also urged the parties to form joint 8-party mechanism up to the booth level. This will greatly facilitate the mobilization of our employees," said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Bhojraj Pokharel.
THE BRITISH EMBASSY HAS refuted reports that the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, ordered a review of cases related to British Gurkha veterans after his meeting with Victoria Cross holder Tul Bahadur Pun. "At no point did the Prime Minister undertake to order a review of the benefits received by former Gurkhas," a press release issued by the embassy said. It added that the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) had no plans for a further review of issues relating to the Gurkhas who retired before July 1997. Citing the "comprehensive review of Gurkha Terms and Conditions of Service" by the British MoD — the results of which were announced in March this year — the embassy reiterated that the British government had no plans to review them further. The review gave "serving and some recently-retired Gurkhas access to the same pension benefits as the rest of the army." The review did not consider the pension or immigration status of those Gurkhas who retired before July 1997.
INDIA HAS AGREED TO provide Rs 13 million assistance to construct new building of a school in Nawalparasi. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on July 13, 2007 by the Embassy of India with the District Development Committee, Nawalparasi and Shree Janata Lower Secondary School, Arungkhola for providing the aid. The aid will enable the school in addressing its current space constraint and creating requisite infrastructure in keeping with its high educational standards and growing number of students. “This is the fourth educational project undertaken by Government of India in Nawalparasi under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Program, and is part of more than 220 large and small projects currently being realized with the Indian assistance in the sectors of education, health, community development and infrastructure covering all the districts of Nepal with an outlay of over Rs. 20 billion,” states a press release by the Indian Embassy.
JAPANESE EMBASSY, in cooperation with the Japanese Language Teachers' Association, Nepal (JALTAN) organized Japanese Film Festival in Kathmandu from July 13 to 14 as part of its annual cultural exchange programs. The Film Festival was held in the auditorium of Nepal Administrative Staff College, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur. A total of five Japanese feature films, mostly contemporary comedies, were screened during the festival. Films screened at the festival include Nodo Jiman, Fifteen, Adrenalin Drive, Like Asura and Ghost Pub.
SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT has provided 100 PCs (worth Rs 6 million) to Nepal Police through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to support for strengthening the security capacity. Korean Ambassador to Nepal, Nam Sang-Jung stated that ensuring a free and fair election of the constituent assembly in November is crucial for maintaining peace and stability in Nepal in the future. He added that the IT equipment would particularly contribute to securing security during CA polls in November. The Korean Government has already provided some IT equipment to Election Commission last March, 2007 for peace process. “The Korean Government will continue to support Nepal not only for economic cooperation but also for peace building, and thus contribute to the latter's national development,” states a press release by Korean embassy.
