Former Prez Bhandari observes Parliament building damaged during Gen Z movement
Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari today observed the Federal Parliament Building that was damaged during the September 8-9 Gen Z movement.
She reached the Federal Parliament building based in New Baneshwor to take stock of the extent of damage from the vandalism and arson.
Speaker Devraj Ghimire and National Assembly (NA) Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal apprised her of the losses.
Talking to the media following the inspection, she said she was disheartened to see the condition of the Federal Parliament Building.
Government, Gen Z representatives ink 10-point agreement
The government and Gen Z representatives late this evening signed a 10-point agreement at the Office of the Prime Minister, Singha Durbar.
Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Bhoj Bikram Thapa, on behalf of those who attained martyrdom and were injured during the Gen Z movement, signed the pact.
Following the agreement signing ceremony, PM Karki said the consensus would prove to be a milestone in bringing transformations to the country.
"The agreement will guide tomorrow's wave for change," she said, adding that it will help strengthen the constitution, contributing to the prevention of bloodshed and disasters in the future.
"We are the same group. Gen Zs are my children, and we all aspire for the youth force to reach state power. Their ideas and thoughts should be the guiding principles of the State. We wish to see a bright future for our children."
The pact incorporates provisions on issues of good governance, constitutional amendment, and the electoral system, in line with the spirit of the Gen Z movement held on September 8-9.
Government ministers, chief secretary, and senior government officials were present on the occasion.
PM Karki seeks cooperation from all sides for conducting election timely
Prime Minister Sushila Karki has sought cooperation from all sides to accomplish the elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) member in the stipulated time.
The Prime Minister informed that formulation of laws required for the safety and identity of human rights defenders, initiative to make foreign employment safe and dignified, and preparation and implementation of the sixth human rights plan of action are the key priorities of the incumbent government.
In her message of best wishes on the occasion of the 77th International Human Rights Day today, PM Karki reiterated the government's commitment to place robust measures and actions against corruption while clarifying that maintaining good governance is the goal of the government.
Noting that human rights would not be protected without an enabling environment of transparency and accountability, she said the government is unswervingly moving ahead to this path.
"Free and fair elections are the soul of democracy. It is the fundamental duty of the State to create an environment for citizens to select their representatives without fear, greed and pressure. The government is committed to make the upcoming March 5 elections further cost effective, transparent and tech-savvy".
The Head of the Government has expressed her confidence to create an atmosphere for security personnel to be deployed for election to deliver with high confidence.
The PM also urged all political parties to unobtrusively participate in the elections by assuring the right to vote of the eligible Nepali people and also respect, protect and promote human rights so as to make the democratic exercise such as election a success.
"Nepal's peace process has inspired the globe, but the backlog of transitional justice is yet to be addressed. The government is fully aware of the issue. The transitional justice would not be complete until conflict survivors are assured of justice,”she asserted.
The PM expressed her belief that the concerned mechanisms would be successful in bringing the process to confidentiality and keeping victims at the centre on the basis of the prevailing laws and consensus.
Saying that the government has been emphatically protecting the autonomy, independence and effectiveness of the national human rights commission as a watchdog of democracy, the PM pledged to execute the recommendations of the Commission.
She mentioned that institutional and physical infrastructure, human resources and budget management will be further strengthened to keep the Commission in 'A' category.
"Climate change has emerged as another challenge today for the protection of human rights. Although Nepal is a country with minimal carbon emissions, it has had to bear the most severe impacts of climate change. Climate-induced effects such as melting glaciers, unpredictable weather cycles, floods and landslides, and rising temperatures are directly affecting every aspect of our lives, including food security, health, habitation and education".
She stated that the government is actively moving forward by strengthening national and international partnerships in adaptation, risk reduction, sustainable development, and climate justice.
Prime Minister Karki added that with the core intention of sustainable development goals, the government is continuously moving towards poverty reduction, gender equality, social justice, inclusivity, peace, and prosperity. The obligations under international human rights treaties to which Nepal is a party are being fulfilled in a timely manner, she noted.
"Human rights are not merely the legal arrangements; they should be our social conduct. Sustainable peace, good governance, development and prosperity could be obtained only when we all act together to transform human rights to everyday culture", she stated in her message.
100 political parties register for proportional election system
The Election Commission has received applications from 100 political parties for the proportional election system. These parties submitted their applications before the deadline for the proportional category of the House of Representatives election, which is set for March 5.
The Commission had designated the registration period for parties aiming for the proportional election from December 7-9.
According to the Commission, during this timeframe, a total of 100 political parties applied for the proportional election system. Among the applicants, there are parties that have opted for a joint election symbol as well as those that have chosen a single election symbol.
The Commission has indicated that it will conduct a thorough review of the applications received and aims to approve them December 12. As per the Commission's schedule, the closed list for proportional representation is to be submitted on December 28 and 29.
Following a necessary review of this list, the preliminary list will be released on January 19. Claims, objections, and required scrutiny will take place regarding this list, with the final list expected to be published on 3 February.
Out of the 275-member House of Representatives, 165 members will be elected through the direct election system, while 110 members will be elected via the proportional representation system.
