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Nepali Congress, Bagmati Province has directed its Parliamentary Party in the Province Assembly (PA) to vote against Chief Minister Shalikram Jamarkattel.

A meeting of the NC Bagmati Work Execution Committee held today under the chair of NC Bagmati President Indra Bahadur Baniya instructed the entire PA members from the party to vote against the Chief Minister. They have been asked not to stay neutral in the process of vote of confidence for Jamarkattel.

Bagmati CM Jamarkattel is to seek a vote of confidence on April 1, Monday.

NC Parliamentary Party leader for the Province, Bahadur Singh Lama, has been asked to implement the instruction.

Jamarkattel is required to obtain 56 votes for the vote of confidence. The 110-member PA consists of 37 members from the NC, 27 from the CPN-UML, 21 from the Maoist Center, 13 from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, seven from the CPN (Unified Socialist), three from Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party and two from the Hamro Nepali Party.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 17. 30 points to close at 2,018.33 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 51 points to close at 356. 58 points.

A total of 7,957,659-unit shares of 316 companies were traded for Rs 3. 20 billion.

Meanwhile, Maya Khola Hydropower Company Limited (MKHC) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Sarbottam Cement Limited (SARBTM) was the top loser with its price dropped by 9. 99 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 20 trillion.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a corruption case against medical entrepreneur Bishal Pandit for carrying out irregularities while procuring health supplies of Koshi Provincial Hospital.

The anti-graft watchdog filed the case at the Special Court against Pandit today.

The main opposition party Nepali Congress has called for forming a parliamentary committee to investigate the linking of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Rabi Lamichhane in the cooperatives’ fraud.

Nepali Congress leader Sanjaya Kumar Gautam said, "This is also the issue of ethics. The government should be serious on this (the linking of DPM Lamichhane's name in the cooperative fraud). A parliamentary probe committee should be formed in this connection."

He contended that a doubt has arisen regarding how justice can be done on this topic based on the Prime Minister's replies in Parliament and the Police Chief's response on this topic in the parliamentary committee meeting.

Stating that the main opposition party Nepali Congress is well aware of the fact that the Parliament should not be held hostage over certain demands, he called upon the government also to be serious regarding its responsibilities.

Lawmaker Gautam demanded that the Parliament should also press the government for addressing the livelihood issues of the people. He reiterated that the main opposition party would continue raising this issue until the parliamentary investigation committee was formed.

"The then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha had responded in the Parliament itself that an investigation was on in this connection. But now the investigation is stopped," he said, adding that appointing Lamichhane as the Home Minister is a conflict of interest.

Lawmakers draw govt's attention to address farmers' problems

Meanwhile, speaking in the Urgent Time in the meeting of the HoR today, lawmakers voiced various contemporary issues, including the increasing number of road accidents and the farmers facing a plethora of problems.

Lawmaker Hitraj Pandey expressed concern over the increasing number of road accidents in recent days and urged the government to take effective measures to reduce road fatalities, referring to the car accident that took place on Saturday near Muglin.

Eknath Dhakal also drew the government's attention on this topic while Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan urged the government to resolve problems faced by the citizens while accessing various public services. He also called on the government to provide relief to the farmers after assessing the damage caused by the windstorm and hailstone.

Lawmaker Ashok Kumar Chaudhary raised the issue of the maize cultivated by farmers in the Tarai districts producing cobs without grains due to the 'flawed' hybrid seeds. He demanded action against the dealers selling such seeds and providing compensation to the farmers.

Chaudhary stressed on the urgent need of taking steps to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture and the problem of wild animals consuming and damaging the crops.

Dr Amaresh Kumar Singh said a question has arisen regarding the adjudication of justice by the judiciary. He alleged that the judges were appointed on the power-sharing basis among the parties and the judges also gave verdicts in an unfair way.

He called for an investigation on the decisions of the judiciary and formed a parliamentary committee to assess the conduct of the judges. He also through the Parliament called attention of the judiciary to what he called 'the contamination' of the judiciary. Lawmaker Singh complained that only few of the complaints filed with the Judicial Council are investigated into.

Flights on the Manthali-Lukla route have resumed after a week-long closure due to adverse weather.

Lukla Airport in Solukhumbu district remained shut for a week due to bad weather. This morning, with the weather clearing up in Lukla, flights between Manthali and Lukla have resumed.

During the closure of Lukla airport, Sita, Tara, and Summit airlines' aircraft were grounded in Manthali. To accommodate foreign tourists heading to Lukla, some opted for helicopter rides to Surke in Solu, while others chose to travel by road up to Phaplu.

Pravin Subedi, Tara Air's in-charge for Ramechhap, confirmed that flights to Lukla resumed after receiving reports of improved weather conditions in the area.

With the weather improving, foreign tourists are now arriving in Manthali from Kathmandu via road to reach Lukla.

It has been planned to operate Manthali-Lukla flights throughout the day today on a rotational basis, contingent upon weather conditions, according to Prajwal Guragain, senior officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in Ramechhap.

Six people have lost their lives in elephant attacks in the past five months in Jhapa. The victims were either collecting fodder, on morning walks, or were asleep at home when the incidents occurred.

Meghraj Rai, the Chief of the Division Forest Office in Jhapa, said that two more persons died in elephant attacks only this week. The deceased have been identified as Khadgamaya Mabo (58) of Kamal Rural Municipality-5, and Pabitra Bhetuwal (60) of Shibasatakshi-11.

These recent incidents have left the local community in a state of fear and unease.

Ruma Subba, a resident of Kamal Rural Municipality-5, said they constantly live in fear of potential wild animal attacks in the aftermath of the incident in the locality.

All 15 localities within the district are deemed vulnerable to elephant encounters. The fatalities in the past five months include one in Damak Municipality, two in Shibasatakshi, two in Haldibari, and one in Kamal Rural Municipality.

The tuskers have unleashed terror in the neighboring districts of Morang and Sunsari as well.

It is said that a herd of 29 wild elephants entered Nepal from India through the Bahunadangi point and is yet to move back. The Division Forest Office estimates that there are over 60 wild elephants spread across Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari districts.

The gold is being traded at Rs 130, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 129, 400 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,525 per tola today.  

The Constitutional Council on Sunday recommended Toyam Raya for the post of Auditor General.

A meeting of the Council held in Baluwatar this morning recommended the name of National Statistics Office Secretary Raya for the post of Auditor General.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s press advisor Govinda Acharya informed that the meeting of the Constitutional Council recommended Raya for the appointment to the post of Auditor General.

The post was lying vacant after the tenure of Auditor General Tankamani Sharma ended on May 24, 2023.