Nepal

Kathmandu, September 27

Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana today said verdicts and orders passed by independent, impartial and competent judiciary could be scrutinised only by the competent authority as per the rules. He said this at an interaction organised in the Supreme Court before the start of Dashain vacation.

&Scrutinising judicial verdicts and orders by unauthorised bodies was against the principle, concept and norms of independence of the judiciary,& said CJ Rana.

He said, &Scrutinising verdicts and orders of the Supreme Court by unauthorised bodies can raise question against the credibility of the judiciary. Such acts cannot aid the provision of the constitution that envisions independent and competent judiciary. I do not think it is necessary to speak more on this issue in this gathering of educated persons.&

Ranaremarks came at a time when some lawmakers, particularly those from the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), have been raising the issue of scrutinising the SCrecently passed verdicts in Ncell case, involving the question of capital gains tax. Some lawmakers have said that the government lost billions of rupees due to the courtverdict. CJ Rana said constitutionalism, democracy, the rule of law and human rights could be protected only if the independence of judiciary was ensured.

&Just making a mention of judicial independence in the constitution and laws cannot ensure judicial independence. It can be ensured only when all stakeholders adhere to the principle of independence of judiciary,& Rana said.

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Kathmandu, September 27

The Department of Transport Management has banned cargo trucks and lorries from entering or leaving Kathmandu valley with effect from Sunday in order to ease traffic congestion during Dashain.

An urgent public notice published by the DoTM today said that no 10-wheeler or multi-axle trailer trucks carrying goods other than drugs and essential commodities would be allowed to ply the roads inside Kathmandu from September 29 to October 5. The DoTM informed that a decision to this effect was made to reduce the traffic jam on the highways and ensure safety and comfort of people going back to their hometowns. This rule will be applicable for the heavy duty vehicles from Narayanghat to Kathmandu.

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division said it would strictly implement the decision of the DoTM, the regulating body responsible for overall management of road transport service in the country. The heavy duty vehicles are one of the causes of traffic jam on the congested two-lane highway due to their slower dynamics.

Meanwhile, MTPD said that it had made special security arrangements to prevent road accidents during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath. Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Prasad Dhakal, MTPD in-charge, informed that police in uniform and plain clothes equipped with breathalysers were deployed at all entry points to Kathmandu valley to prevent drunk driving.

Traffic police have started conducting regular and surprise alcohol meter test on drivers, with major focus on long-route buses as people have already started leaving the valley for their home villages and towns to cerebrate Dashain. Passenger help desks have been set up in 14 places of the valley to enforce traffic rules, besides facilitating travellers and taking action against crooked transport entrepreneurs. Traffic offences increase during the festive season. According to MTPD, around 2.5 people were expected to leave the valley to celebrate Dashain.

Traffic police officials said the help desks were set up to assist people in booking and acquiring travel tickets, given the tickets were not sold out. Ticket booking counters have been asked to display bus fares to ensure transparency. Help desks will also warn ticket booking clerks against possible incidents of double-ticketing, blackmailing, overcharging and selling tickets in black. Officials deployed at help desks will arrest and take action against those involved in fraudulent activities. MTPD has appealed to all to lodge complaints at the help desks if they face any problems.

For the safety of the commuters, the exiting law requires the transporter entrepreneurs to have two drivers in each vehicle that ply the routes longer than 250 km to prevent road accidents due to exhaustion. SSP Dhakal said this rule would be implemented in an effective manner.

• Traffic jam in Prithvi Highway results in death of kidney patient

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Kathmandu, September 27

On the sidelines of the General Debate on its 3rd day today, Nepali delegation to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly engaged in a number of important events and bilateral meetings in New York. The Debate will continue till September 30 and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will make an address in the evening tomorrow.

According to a press release issued by New York-based Permanent Mission of Nepal to United Nations, Nepali delegation also participated in the first High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on Financing for Development convened to review the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Many heads of state, as well as business leaders, shared their perspectives on aligning and mobilising resources for financing SDGs.

Many speakers also said meeting the financing gap was daunting task and more partnerships were critical.

Minister Gyawali attended the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. In his statement, Gyawali reaffirmed Nepalcommitments to the purposes and principles of NAM. He underscored that cooperation and coexistence were critical for a constructive world order which could only be achieved if the principles of sovereignty and political independence were upheld in good faith by all.

He also attended the annual Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Group of Friends of Mediation under the theme ‘New Technologies for Peace and Mediation as Tools for Inclusion: Celebrating the 10th Ministerial Meeting and Looking Ahead& and shared Nepalperspective on the role of new technologies in mediation. Minister Gyawali elaborated that mediators should be equipped with the best tools available for averting violent conflicts. He also added that the ever-evolving technology could certainly provide them with innovative solutions, read the press release.

Minister Gyawali addressed the High-level Meeting on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons convened by the President of General Assembly in New York. The minister underlined the belief that total elimination of the existing nuclear weapons and the assurance that they would never be produced again were the only absolute guarantee against their catastrophic consequences.

Minister Gyawali also chaired an informal meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers which was attended by foreign ministers as well as other delegates of the SAARC member states. While highlighting the potentials and prospects of the South Asian region, he expressed the view that effective cooperation at the regional level would help utilise the strengths of the region for changing the socio-economic landscape. He also said robust cooperation was required for addressing various challenges facing the region, such as poverty, inequality, underdevelopment and climate change.

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