Nepal

Kathmandu, November 1

The National Vigilance Centre has launched online system to ascertain the submission of property details by public post holders in accordance with the existing law.

With the help of online system, the anti-corruption watchdog can easily collect, store, retrieve and analyse a large volume of data related to property details of public post holders in an easy-to-use format, according to a report published by the NVC. For this purpose, the NVC has provided username and password to government employees.

The employees concerned are required to enter their property details into the system in the prescribed format. Once the property details are entered into the system, the office in-charge approves them following necessary examination and inquiry.

The NVC said the online system was a shift to paperless system as envisioned by the government. Earlier, the anti-corruption watchdog had issued a public notice requesting all public post holders to submit their property details of fiscal 2018-19 within the stipulated deadline.

According to section 50 of the Prevention of Corruption Control Act, any person who joins public office should, within 60 days from the date of joining such office, and thereafter within 60 days from the date of completion of each fiscal year, submit the updated statement of property in his/her name or in his/her family members& name, along with sources thereof, to the body prescribed by the government.

The concerned body may extend the deadline for submission of such details by maximum 30 days. It is mandatory to mention the name and surname, post, service/group, level, office and mobile number of the employee while submitting property details.

If property details of any employee is not submitted even after extension of the period for 30 days, the NVC will refer the name and personal details of such employees to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority for legal action.

Any employee, who fails to submit the statement of property even within the extended deadline, shall be subject to a fine of Rs 5,000 and an investigation into his/her assets, the NVC warned in its notice.

Civil servants should submit their property details through the Department of Civil Personnel Records, Nepali Army personnel should submit the details to Army Record Office, police personnel to Police Record Management Department, school teachers to School Teacher Record Office, and other persons holding public office to the agencies concerned.

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Kathmandu, November 1

Women lawmakers today demanded 50 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament. They demanded that elections in Nepal be conducted in a gender-friendly manner. Researches, in-depth discussions should be carried out for inclusion of women in leadership positions,they said.

It is difficult for women to get leadership positions through proportional representation system. Therefore, this election system should be revoked, said Pushpa Bhusal, a lawmaker.

Speaking during an event organised by Media House in collaboration with Parliamentary Support Project, United Nations Development Programme in the capital today, lawmakers shared their experiences of being women in the Parliament. They said their voices were not heard even within their own parties.

&When it comes to passing bills from the Parliament, questions raised by us are often ignored,& said Bedimaya Ghale.

Women lawmakers also demanded that the budget allocated for activities related to women be increased.

Sharing their ideas on what womenrole should be in surveillance of gender-friendly parliamentary practices, they said that surveillance should be done at three levels — policy, financial and on-site monitoring.

&Women lawmakers can raise issues during zero hour and special hour. They also need to show active participation in discussions related to bills, registration for amendment of bills and so on,& said Khimlal Devkota, an advocate and lawmaker.

The lawmakers also discussed their roles, problems and effective representation in the Parliament.

The lawmakers demanded that Nepali citizenship be issued in the name of mother too. &Women should not be discriminated on the basis of her marital status. It should be the choice of the children to obtain citizenship either in the name of mother or father. Women should principally advocate citizenship rights,& added Bhusal.

Sharing their experience of being parliamentary members, women lawmakers said they were learning by doing. Discussions with legal professionals and experts are necessary to enhance our skills and gain maturity,& said Radhika Tamang, deputy speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Province 3.

&Women lawmakers should raise their voices on proposals of stricture, attention motion and adjournment,& said Devkota.

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Kathmandu, November 1

The US Embassy awarded USD 150,000 through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation to the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust for conservation of the octagonal Krishna temple that was severely damaged in the 2015 earthquakes.

During a ceremony organised at Patan Durbar Square today, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy W Berry, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Chiribabu Maharjan, and Director General of Department of Archaeology Damodar Gautam commemorated the beginning of restoration and conservation work, states a press release issued by the US Embassy.

AFCP funding will support seismic strengthening and conservation of the shikhara style octagonal Krishna temple. Built in 1723, the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and uses an innovative form of stone masonry that is unparalleled in South Asia. The conservation work is expected to be completed within two years.

&This programme shows the depth of Americarespect for the cultural heritage of Nepal,& said Ambassador Berry. &From our first AFCP project, Kal Bhairab, in 2003 to this latest Krishna temple restoration, America has been a proud partner of Nepal in its effort to conserve the unique and irreplaceable heritage in Nepal.&

Director General Gautam highlighted the lasting effects of the US Embassyefforts. &We are grateful for the US governmentsupport in the restoration and preservation of cultural heritage sites in Nepal. From Gaddi Baithak to Patan Royal Palace to this temple, the funding received through the AFCP has greatly helped the Government of Nepalpost-earthquake cultural heritage restoration efforts.&

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Kathmandu, October 31

The Supreme Court today quashed a Department of Immigrationletter that stopped Lenin Bista, a former Maoist child combatant, from flying abroad.

Bista had sued the government after he was stopped by immigration officers from flying to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, on 24 August 2018, for not seeking permission from any government agency for his travel.

A division bench of justices Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Kumar Regmi issued a writ of certiorari against the government as demanded by Bista. He had filed the writ petition at the Supreme Court on 30 August 2018.

A letter issued to Bista by Immigration Office, TIA, had stated that he was stopped from flying to Thailand because he had not obtained permission or recommendation from any government agency for the programme.

Bista was stopped from flying to Thailand where he was to participate in a seminar titled ‘Youth in Conflict Areas: Healing in Peace Building through Social Engagement&.

Advocate Om Prakash Aryal who pleaded on behalf of Bista said the court quashed the DoIletter that stopped Bista from flying abroad terming it a violation of Bistafreedom of expression and movement.

The apex court also told the government not to stop Bista from flying abroad in future, according to Aryal.

On the day Bista was stopped from flying to Bangkok, immigration officers also told him that had been blacklisted, according to Bista.

On August 24, immigration officers had seized Bistadocuments and returned them to him only after the plane had left for Bangkok.

Following the incident, Bista had also filed a complaint at the National Human Rights Commission demanding justice and compensation for ‘violation of his right to freedom of movement&.

Bista has been campaigning against recruitment of child soldiers, which could be one reason behind the governmentdecision to stop him from flying abroad.

Bista, however, visited European countries, including Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany in March this year to raise the issue of child combatants. &When I was leaving for Europe, immigration authorities stopped me at the airport for almost an hour, but eventually they let me fly fearing that I might raise the issue of child combatants,& he told THT.

Bista returned from European tour almost after four months.

Bista, a resident of Kavrepalanchowk district was recruited as a child soldier by the Maoist rebels during the conflict and he served the Maoist party for seven years before the party signed a peace deal with the government in 2006.

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