Supreme Court on Sunday quashed a habeas corpus writ petition filed on behalf of the politburo member of Maoist Matrika Prashad Yadhav seeking his release.
A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel and Justice Rajendra Prasad Koirala quashed the petitions saying it was not necessary to look into the petition, as there were cases at the Patan Appellate Court against Yadhav.
“Since Yadav is under detention with the order of Patan Appellate Court, there is no need to issue habeas corpus order,” the bench said.
The patan Appellate Court a month ago had given permission to the government to detain Yadav and another Maoist leader Suresh Ale Magar in a murder case.
Bishwonath Yadhav had filed the petition last year. Yadhav was arrested in India and extradited to Nepal in 2004.
The Disciplinary Committee (DC) of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Sunday, recommended to the party chairman the expulsion of its seven elected Central Working Committee (CWC) members, including three ministers from ordinary party membership for at least six years.
The party on Saturday had given them 24 hours to furnish explanations but none among the 10 leaders took notice of the leadership’s demand.
As the dissident faction led by recently ousted vice-chairman Padma Sundar Lawati declined to furnish clarification sought by the DC, the DC recommended that the party expel Home Minister Kamal Thapa, assistant ministers Roshan Karki and Bhuvan Pathak, CWC members Lawati, Durga Shrestha, Rajiv Parajuli and Jagat Gauchan on the charge of acting against the party statute by calling a special general convention of the party, a party source revealed.
Joint General Secretary of RPP, Khem Raj Pundit, said that the next move of the party will be announced at 2 p.m. on Monday at the party office, which will also see RPP Chairman Rana announcing his strategy.
Regarding the case of three other nominated CWC members – Toran Bahadur Gurung, Pratap Ram Lohar and Brajesh Kumar Gupta who have been handpicked by the king for his cabinet, the DC has authorized party chairman Pashupati Sumsher Rana to take disciplinary action against them.
The dissident faction is holding special convention of the party on January 10 and 11. However party high command has issued a public notice Saturday that those participating in the special convention will be expelled from party membership.
The row emerged in the party in the issue of whether to participate or not in the municipal polls slated for February 8 next year and support the royal takeover after six members of the party were inducted in the royal cabinet.
The Central Joint People’s Movement Co-ordination Committee of the seven-party alliance has said that it will blacklist persons who participate in the upcoming municipal poll slated for February 8.
Making public its programme to disrupt the municipal polls on Sunday, the alliance said, the decision was taken as the election is a ploy to prolong royal rule and participation in the poll is against democracy, people and the nation.
The alliance has also appealed to lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, professors, doctors and teachers, students and youths to come up with their respective programs to boycott the elections.
It has also decided to mobilize its sister organizations to ensue the failure of polls.
The alliance of seven political parties that is protesting against the February 1 royal takeover has decided to actively boycott the municipal poll.
Meanwhile, a pamphlet issued by ‘the intellectual circle of the CPN-UML’ has been found in Butwal. The pamphlet appeals to the people to vote for CPN-UML.
However, CPN-UML cadres have expressed surprise over the pamphlet and accused the administration of issuing it.
Earlier, the administration had issued similar pamphlets when the CPN–UML organized its mass meeting in Butwal more than a month ago.
The seven-party alliance on Sunday deplored the intervention by Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) personnel at a CPN-UML meet organized in Baglung, Saturday.
The Central Joint People’s Movement Co-ordination Committee of the seven-party alliance has said that it will blacklist persons who participate in the upcoming municipal poll slated for February 8.
Making public its programme to disrupt the municipal polls on Sunday, the alliance said, the decision was taken as the election is a ploy to prolong royal rule and participation in the poll is against democracy, people and the nation.
The alliance has also appealed to lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, professors, doctors and teachers, students and youths to come up with their respective programs to boycott the elections.
It has also decided to mobilize its sister organizations to ensue the failure of polls.
The alliance of seven political parties that is protesting against the February 1 royal takeover has decided to actively boycott the municipal poll.
Meanwhile, a pamphlet issued by ‘the intellectual circle of the CPN-UML’ has been found in Butwal. The pamphlet appeals to the people to vote for CPN-UML.
However, CPN-UML cadres have expressed surprise over the pamphlet and accused the administration of issuing it.
Earlier, the administration had issued similar pamphlets when the CPN–UML organized its mass meeting in Butwal more than a month ago.
The seven-party alliance on Sunday deplored the intervention by Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) personnel at a CPN-UML meet organized in Baglung, Saturday.
The Ministry of Information and Communications is implementing the provision for installation of the Conditional Access System (CAS) within the first week of July to cable operators.
A press release issued by the Ministry on Monday said that a notice to this effect has been published in the Nepal Gazette on October 10, 2005 as per the provision for the installation of the CAS provided for in Rule 10 of the National Broadcasting Regulations-2052 BS published by His Majesty’s Government by exercising the rights provided it by Clause 21 of the National Broadcasting Act-2049 BS.
According to this provision, the programme distributors and cable operators are required to make prior arrangements by the first week of July prior to the implementation of the Conditional Access System.
Similarly, the Ministry has stated that an agreement has been reached between the Nepal Cable TV Association and the programme distributors in connection with the compulsory implementation of the areas as per the notice published in the Nepal Gazette and the need for the programme distributors to renew their every kind of understanding reached earlier with the programme broadcasters within the first week of July or reach a new understanding so that it would be in consonance with the Conditional Access System.
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (File Photo)
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev arrived in Kathmandu Monday morning to chair the meeting of Council of Ministers.
The meeting discussed about the ‘New Finance Ordinance’ to be issued on January 14, security situation of the country and upcoming municipal polls.
The King had left for the eastern region on January 1 for a three week long visit tothe eastern development region to acquire information about the law and order situation and service delivery status in the districts of eastern development region.
The King holds the chairmanship of incumbent government following the February 1 royal takeover.
A group of Maoists looted the Rastriya Banijya Bank branch in Surkhet district on Monday.
Assistant Chief District Officer of Surkhet district, Surendra Poudel, informed Nepalnews that a group of eight armed Maoists looted money from the cash counter of the Bank at around 10:45 Monday morning.
“Security forces have been mobilized to arrest the culprits,” he added.
Manager of the Bank, Raj Kumar Khadka, confirmed to Nepalnews that a group of Maoists looted the money after taking staff of cash counter into control by showing weapons.
He further said that they are calculating the money taken by the Maoists.
Home Minister Kamal Thapa
Home Minister Kamal Thapa (File Photo)
After seeing the threat of vertical split for the second time in less than a year, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has expelled ten central members, including Home Minister Kamal Thapa from the party’s central working committee on Tuesday.
The RPP has expelled seven elected Central Working Committee (CWC) members including three ministers in the royal cabinet from the party for a period of six years.
Those expelled from the ordinary membership of the party include; Home Minister Kamal Thapa, assistant ministers Ms Roshan Karki and Bhuvan Pathak, CWC members Padma Sundar Lawoti, who is leading the dissident faction of RPP, former ministers Durga Shrestha, Rajiv Parajuli and Jagat Gauchan.
They were expelled on the charge of acting against the party statute by calling a special general convention of the party.
RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana (left) and leader Deepak Bohara at a press conference at the RPP party office, Monday, Jan 09 05. nepalnews.com/rh
RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana (left) and leader Deepak Bohara at a press conference at the RPP party office, Monday, Jan 09 05. nepalnews.com/rh
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Kathmandu, on Monday, RPP chairman Pashupati Shumser Rana said the party took action against its ten members as per the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee of the RPP.
The party on Saturday had given them 24 hours notice to furnish explanations, but none of them responded.
Three other nominated CWC members – Toran Bahadur Gurung, Pratap Ram Lohar and Brajesh Kumar Gupta—have also been expelled from the central committee.
Rana accused that some “unseen forces” were active to weaken the party as it was standing strongly in favour of multiparty democracy. “But RPP will never compromise on the ideals of democracy,” he added.
Rana urged all party workers not to attend the special convention summoned by the dissident faction saying that it was an attempt to bring about split in the party.
He added that the general convention did not have any relevancy as the central committee had already resolved the issue.
Rana accused the ministers of the royal cabinet of trying to divide the party for “self-interest and misusing state resources.”
The dissident faction is holding `special convention’ of the party on January 10 and 11. However, the RPP high command issued a public notice Saturday saying that those participating in the convention will be expelled from the party membership.
The row in the RPP emerged on the issue of whether to participate in the municipal polls slated for February 8 this year and support the royal takeover after six members of the party were inducted in the council of ministers.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has for the time being ruled out the possibility of allowing the private airline operators to hike air ticket prices.
Keshab Khanal, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), told Nepalnews that the Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yakila Sherpa, has made it clear that there would be no consideration, at the moment, on the demands put forth by the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) for hike in airfare.
“The minister has made it clear that the airfares cannot to be increased for the time being,” Khanal said. When asked about the recommendations of Airfare Review Committee under the CAAN regarding the airlines operators’ demands, he said, “The debate ends here because the minister has already objected to the demands for airfare hike.” He, however, informed that homework on this matter was going on.
Citing growing losses due to increase in fuel prices and the duty on landing, parking and registration, the AOAN had last month warned that it would unilaterally hike airfares with effect from 1st January 2006 if the government did not heed to its demand immediately.
Meanwhile, AOAN president Bikash Rana said the association has agreed to the ministry’s request not to increase the airfare for some time.
“We have agreed not to go for airfare hike for some time. We are going to wait for about one month,” Rana said talking to Nepalnews. Brushing aside the claim that ministry has denied permission for hike in air ticket prices, he said, “Private operators can increase airfares any time even as the ministry wants otherwise.”
The private airlines operators are mulling airfare hike between 15 to 24 percent, according to the AOAN president.
A group of Maoists have raided the state-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank’s district branch in Surkhet and have looted over Rs three million on Monday, officials said.
Assistant Chief District Officer of Surkhet district, Surendra Poudel, told Nepalnews that a group of eight armed Maoists looted money from the cash counter of the Bank at around 10:45 Monday morning.
“Security forces have been mobilized to arrest the culprits,” he added.
Sources with the bank said the rebels first took the guard of the bank under their control and looted the money within 15 or 20 minutes.
According to latest reports, nobody has been arrested so far in connection with the bank loot.