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The system—if there was one—that major parties adopted to select their candidates for November 20 elections has not gone down well with their rank and file, least of all the voters. The candidate selection process was entirely dictated by top leaders. Despite instructing the grassroots and local members to recommend candidates, the top leaders did not consider the name list. Under the proportional representation category, the same old faces who have been in power politics for more than three decades, got nominated. Those close to top leaders also got election tickets, while the deserving candidates were sidelined. There are also reports that there was a heavy influence of money in the candidate selection process. Under the first-past-the-post category, top leaders of major parties, such as the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center), have denied tickets to those party members who have been known to be critical of them. UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli refused to hand the election ticket to his rivals Bhim Rawal and Ghana Shyam Bhushal. In the Congress, the likes of Minendra Rijal and Swarnim Wagle were excluded. And in the Maoist party, its chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal is facing criticism for picking those party members near and dear to him. The candidate selection process has once again brought to the fore the absence of democratic culture inside political parties. For a democracy to prosper, it is imperative for parties to lead by example. But this has never been a case for Nepali political parties. Parties that identify as democratic resemble feudal enterprises. Their top leaders are drunk with power and thereby racked with extreme insecurity. And so, they surround themselves with lackeys and toadies and plot the downfall of their detractors. It is for this exact reason why deserving party members do not get election tickets. The faux-democratic parties of Nepal might be right. When a leader ascends to power, he takes the same approach to governing his party and the country: like a mad dictator. True democracy will never prosper in Nepal, unless parties and their power-addled leaders learn to listen to and acknowledge opposing views, for dissent is essential in a democracy. Young leaders and members should take note and take the initiative to reform their parties.  

The candidacy of the CPN (Unified Socialist) candidate from Rupandehi Constituency-2 Raju Gurung has been scrapped. His candidacy was scrapped after the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Election Commission on Friday. The poll body canceled the candidacy of Gurung, who was indicted in a banking fraud by the court, as per Candidacy Election Act 2074. A division bench of Justices Ishwor Khatiwada and Kumar Regmi issued the order today saying that his candidacy was against the law. As a blacklisted person cannot be a candidate in the election to the House of Representatives, it is not possible to issue an interim order as demanded by Gurung,” the Supreme Court said in its decision. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Gurung cannot be the candidate as his name is on the black list. CPN-UML Vice-Chairman Bishnu Paudel has also filed his candidacy from the same constituency.

Indian police have arrested an operative of the ISIS from Vanarasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, on Wednesday. Following the arrest, an alert has been issued in Sunauli, Nepal-India border, a source said. Police have been questioning suspicious people and security personnel have also been deployed on the routes from Bhagwanpur, Shyamkot, Danda Head, Khanua, Hardidali, Sundi, Mudila, Chandithan and Sampatiha villages. People have been given permission to enter India only after questioning.

With 30 days remaining for the federal and provincial elections, the role of media in making the upcoming polls free and fair was discussed here today staying that countering misinformation and hate speech as well as promoting inclusive media is key to free and fair elections. The workshop on fair media coverage, the seventh in a series, was organised by Media Action Nepal and supported by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). It covered topics such as professional standards and code of conduct for journalists, media approach to human rights, countering hate speech, and promoting inclusive news content. "Media persons have a vital role to play to ensure free and fair elections as they are responsible for facilitating free flow of information to help people make informed choices about which party and leader to vote for," said Chairperson of Media Action Nepal Laxman Datt Pant. Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson of the Kaski chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists Bimala Bhandari urged journalists to meet public expectations during the elections through fair reporting and practice objective, impartial and balanced journalism every day. Secretary of Media Action Nepal, Ganesh Ghimire said, "Journalists must remind the government of its obligations to uphold human rights protected by Nepal’s constitution as well as those provisions set out in the international human rights treaties." At the event, human rights expert SB Chhetri shared how media persons can contribute to ending disinformation and hate speech in a world dominated by social media. While commenting on the workshop, a Pokhara-based journalist, Suman Gurung, said, "Through the event I have developed my understanding about new approaches to develop inclusive and diverse media content." A total of 175 journalists, half of them women, benefitted from the seven series of the workshop organized by Media Action Nepal with CFLI funding in the headquarters of all seven provinces.

A photo exhibition showing China's achievements in poverty alleviation, infrastructure, science and technology, health care and green development over the past decade was held Thursday in Lalitpur, Nepal. Nepal and the world could learn from China's achievements in poverty alleviation, infrastructure and technology development, said Nepal's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha. "High priority given to ecological preservation and green technology is also exemplary," Shrestha said, adding that China has made unusual achievements as a populous country. China has achieved its target of building a moderately prosperous society, said Chandra Prakash Mainali, general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist), adding that China will realize the Second Centenary Goal of transforming China into a great modern socialist country in all respects under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). China has achieved great changes in the past decade under the strong leadership of the CPC, said Wang Xin, political counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal. China-Nepal relations have developed rapidly in the past 10 years, Wang said, adding that China is ready to work together with Nepal to build a closer China-Nepal community with a shared future and write a new chapter of China-Nepal friendship, Xinhua reported. The exhibition, hosted by Friends of the Silk Road Club-Nepal, also showed China's efforts in better delivery of basic public services and public infrastructure as well as progress achieved under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Indian police have arrested a Chinese woman for carrying out anti-national activities from New Delhi, India on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, Cai Ruo of Hainan Province was arrested yesterday afternoon. It has been learnt that a Nepali citizenship certificate in the name of Dolma Lama was recovered from her possession. During the investigation police found that Cai was a Chinese national who had traveled to India in 2019. The woman has been sent to the police custody for 14 days for investigation.  

On October, Nepal Rastra Bank has come up with its current macro-economic and financial situation of last two months. If you have been watching Nepal’s economic situation and do not have the time to read the full report, here is a 10-point catch-up on the latest situation. ·         Inflation stands at 8.64 percent ·         Imports decreased 13 percent, exports decreased 34.9 percent and trade deficit decreased 9.4 percent ·         Remittances increased 19.8 percent in NPR terms and 11.3 percent in USD terms ·         Balance of Payments remained at a deficit of Rs.23.68 billion. ·         Gross foreign exchange reserves stood at $ 9.35 billion. ·         Federal Government spending amounted to Rs.134.34 billion and revenue collection Rs.143.81 ·         The foreign exchange reserves of the banking sector is sufficient to cover the prospective merchandise imports of 9.0 months ·         Gross foreign exchange reserves decreased 2.2 percent to Rs.1189.16 billion in mid-September 2022 from Rs.1215.80 billion in mid-July 2022. ·         Number of Nepali workers (institutional and individual-new) taking approval for foreign employment increased 169.9 percent to 103,898 in the review period. ·         Broad money (M2) decreased 1.1 percent in the review period in contrast to an increase of 0.2 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year Based on two months data produced by Nepal Rastra Bank, ending mid-September 2022\23

A group of sixty Israeli trekkers arrived in Nepal on Wednesday with the goal to trek around Annapurna trail. The group includes ten physically challenged trekkers, assisted by wheelchairs. The team has set off to the Annapurna trail today. An EPSA Nepal (Disabled Center Nepal) Representative also joined the expedition together with her aid. Ambassador Hanan Goder along with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Nepal Tourism Board had welcomed the trekkers upon their arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Through this audacious activity, the delegation hopes to inspire and send out a message of inclusiveness. Physical challenges should not set limitations for trekking the beautiful mountains of Nepal. The Embassy of Israel wishes them a successful expedition.