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The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has directed producers, importers and distributors to stop the sudden and unjustified price hike seen in daily consumer goods in the market.

Issuing a press statement on Wednesday, the Department has directed all concerned to control unnecessary price hikes in the market and maintain a competitive and fair market system. 

“The major producers, importers and distributors of food grains and oil are instructed to provide their goods or services without taking unfair profits and to provide relief to consumers by addressing the unnatural price hike,” the statement reads. .

The Department said its serious attention has been drawn to the complaints received from the consumers and reports in the media regarding the unnatural price hike and shortage in supply of daily necessities including edible oil, cooking gas, staple rice, etc.

The right of consumers to receive quality goods and services in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2075 BS and the Consumer Protection Regulations, 2076 BS shall be ensured by adopting all measures as required. 

For this, joint market monitoring is being carried out to check on the producers, sellers, importers, stockpilers, and service provider firms and establishments of essential and daily consumable goods in the country.

The Election Commission has introduced the 'Election Campaign Bank Account Operation and Management Procedures, 2082' to bring transparency in the expenses made by political parties and candidates contesting the elections. 

Accordingly, the campaign expenses of political parties and candidates during the general election have to be linked to the banking system.

The procedure has been enforced in accordance with Sections 24 and 50 of the Election Commission Act, 2073, Section 16 of the Election Code of Conduct, 2082, and the directive issued by Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank regulator.

According to the Commission, all political parties registered with the Commission and standing for the proportional representation (PR) and first past the post (FPTP) electoral system, candidates representing those parties and independent candidates will have to make all financial support and donations received and spent for campaigning through this special bank account. 

The arrangement has been made to discourage cash-based transactions and keep clear records of all income and expenses.

According to the procedure, political parties are required to obtain a recommendation from the Election Commission Secretariat to open a bank account for election campaigning, while in the case of candidates, a recommendation is required from the election office of the concerned district. 

Accounts can be opened in designated banks and financial institutions only on the basis of the recommendation. 

Provisions related to account operation, transaction limits, process for submitting details and monitoring have also been included in the procedure.

The Commission believes that transactions through the banking system will facilitate identification of sources, tracking of expenses and subsequent audits.

The Election Commission (EC) has issued the bank accounts operation and management work procedure, 2082, urging the political parties and candidates participating in the March 5 House of Representatives (HoR) elections to make expenses for electoral poll publicity through bank accounts. 

In a statement today, EC spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai called for the parties and candidates to make income and expenditure for election publicity by opening and operating bank accounts as per the procedure approved by the EC's meeting on Tuesday. 

The work procedure has been uploaded in the official website of the commission, it is informed. 

Necessary directive to this effect has been issued to the licensed banks and financial institutions with A, B and C categories, the statement reads. 

The EC has drawn attention of the political parties and candidates to operate election publicity bank accounts as per the Clause 50 of the Election Commission Act, 2073 to ensure routing publicity expenses to the banking system. 

President Ram Chandra Paudel returned home today after completing his official visit to Japan.

Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, ministers and the chiefs of the security bodies welcomed President Paudel at the VVIP Lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport. 

A contingent of Nepali Army accorded a guard of honour to the Head of the State.

At the invitation of the Japanese government, President Paudel left for Japan, leading a Nepali delegation to attend a special ceremony organized on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations on February 1. 

The President addressed the special ceremony organized in Tokyo, Japan.

He was also accompanied by his spouse, Sabita Paduel.

During his stay, President Paudel paid a courtesy call on Japanese Emperor Naruhito, while the Japanese Prime Minister and the Minister of State for Foreign Minister paid a courtesy call on President Paudel separately.

Similarly, Paudel addressed a program of the Japanese businesspersons and of the Nepali diaspora in Tokyo. He also inspected the Nepali Embassy in Japan. 

Nepal and Japan had established diplomatic ties on September 1, 1956. 

Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, Nepal set up its embassy in Tokyo in 1965, while Japan's embassy in Kathmandu in 1967.