KATHMANDU: A national conference of judges has begun in the capital today. The three-day conference was inaugurated by President Bidya Devi Bhandari amid a special ceremony at City Hall.

Around 500 judges from across the country –  235 from district courts and 144 from high courts – are participating in the national conference where a 32-point document will be presented. Similarly,  four working papers on judiciary will also be presented during the conference.

Earlier, the national conference of judges had taken place in November 2014.

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress, country’s main opposition, is entangled in intra-party wrangling. Party leadership, mainly its president Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been criticized by several leaders and disgruntled factions within the party.

This becomes evident when a meeting of district presidents, which is underway at the party head office at Sanepa, have criticized the party leadership for failing to unite the party, and making unilateral decisions, which they claimed is against the party’s statute.

“Even though we have invited all district presidents, we are expecting more than 50 of them,” said Baniya adding that the meeting is likely to discuss the party’s general convention. However, district presidents close to Deuba faction ‘will not’ turn up in what has been dubbed as a “crucial” meeting.

The meeting is likely to press forward some of the ‘key issues’, such as the quota system and the proportional representation.

“We believe that a central member has to be elected from the booth itself,” Kathmandu district party president, Sabuj Baniya informed.

The district presidents have been raising their voices that the proportional representation (PR) and the ‘inclusive’ quota system should give equal opportunities to the leaders. This means that a member should not be elected for more than two times under the PR and quota system.

“Even though we have invited all district presidents, we are expecting more than 50 of them,” said Baniya adding that the meeting is likely to discuss the party’s general convention. However, district presidents close to Deuba faction ‘will not’ turn up in what has been dubbed as a “crucial” meeting.

The meeting, sources claimed, will be participated by the district presidents close to party senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula.

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Oli has reiterated the government’s vision of steering the country towards development and economic prosperity.

Addressing the National Development Council meeting in Kathmandu today, PM Oli informed that the government is currently working on the 15th Five Year Plan to accomplish the government’s goal of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis”.

He said it is high time that the government worked towards that end. “The government does not believe in mere gossips. It is formed to work as per the people’s aspirations.”

The government’s works accomplished so far, the Prime Minister said, will be visible in the days to come.

In his lengthy address, he said, “There is no looking back. We have already trod on the path of prosperity.”

The voices of dissidents and secessionists have come to an end, PM Oli claimed, adding,  “All political forces have come together for the country’s prosperity.”

The international community, he said, is prepared to support and assist Nepal’s development efforts. “The recently concluded Nepal Investment Summit has proved it,” he claimed.

KATHMANDU: A flight number RA-231 of Nepal Airlines Corporation was canceled at a time when the plane was about to take off, with all the passengers aboard.

The national flag carrier of Nepal canceled its flight at the eleventh hour citing the new flights schedule that barres all flight operations from 10 pm to 8 am in the morning over the runway up-gradation.

However, speculations are rife that the flight was canceled due to some technical glitches of the aircraft itself, not because of the airport.

According to Dipak Ojha, an officer of the Immigration Department, the NA flight was canceled due to up-gradation of the runway. However, it has raised questions why this new flight schedule was applied to only the Nepal Airlines.

The NA flight RA-321 was supposed to take off at 9 pm from TIA and land at Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai at 12 am (Wednesday) as per the schedule made public, with 190 people on board, including 176 passengers and 14 crew members.

RAJBIRAJ: Rajbiraj airport of Saptari district has closed its air services from today after Shree Airlines limited its flights citing technical problems.

The air service at the Rajbiraj was brought into regular operation from June 24, 2018.

Initially, Shree Airlines had operated flights for five days a week. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said it has now completely closed the flights.

Suresh Mallik, Station Manager at the Shree Airlines, said that they closed the service as they have begun the repair and maintenance work of the aircraft engine.

He, however, said the Airlines closed its service at Rajbiraj airport for the time being.

ILAM: Ruling Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) completed its merger process in Ilam district.

A party meeting on Tuesday evening finalized the office-bearers at the district level, party sources said.

The NCP has finalized the names of party in-charge, sub in-charge, chairpersons and secretary.

Similarly, the positions of in-charge and chair at the state and local levels have been allocated to two different parties.

KATHMANDU: The disgruntled district party presidents of the Nepali Congress (NC) have started holding a meeting from today.

To be held for two days in Thamel of Kathmandu, the meeting is likely to take decision to pile pressure on the leadership to call special General Convention of the party.

We have decided to hold talks after the Central Working Committee meeting of the NC overruled the decisions endorsed by the Mahasamiti meeting three years ago, said Ilam District Party President of Nepali Congress Himalaya  Karmacharya.

KATHMANDU: A meeting of National Development Council (NDC) has started  at Soaltee Crowne Plaza in the capital to give a final touch to  the Draft Approach Paper on the 15th plan prepared by the National Planning Commission. Chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the NDC meeting will take place for two days.

Deputy prime ministers, ministers,  main opposition party leader, chief minsters of all seven provinces, chairmen of thematic committees of the federal parliament, representatives of private sectors and experts are participating in the meeting.

The Commission has prepared the Draft Approach Paper on the 15th Plan in line with the goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ envisioned by the government.

The Draft Approach Paper will be unveiled incorporating comments and suggestions provided by the NDC meeting by the second week of April.

The country will be made prosperous by harnessing the immense potential of agriculture, energy, minerals and tourism, reads the draft paper.

In the 25-year-long-term-plan draft, the country will lay foundation for the prosperity in five years and intensify development works in the remaining 10 years, says the draft.