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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepal Samajbadi Party (NSP) Chairman Baburam Bhattarai held a meeting on Friday. During the meeting held at the Prime Minister Dahal’s official residence in Baluwatar this morning, they discussed contemporary political issues. The meeting focused on the recent visit of the PM to India, federal budget, and remaining tasks of the peace process including the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission among others, said Bhattarai. They also discussed the issue of the formation of a socialist front. According to Bhattarai, also the former PM, an agreement has been made on concluding ideological, policy, program and organizational procedures to form a broader socialist front to continue to take the society on the progressive path while safeguarding achievements made so far including the federal democratic republic. Stating that an understanding has been reached to move ahead after discussing the matter with all sides, he said, "There is an understanding reached between us. I urge all not to go after rumors."

CPN (Maoist Centre) Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun, who has been suffering from hereditary hyper-bilirubinemia jaundice since long, has returned home from China after treatment. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Aman Lal Modi, and leaders of CPN (Maoist Centre) welcomed Pun at Tribhuvan International Airport. On the occasion, Deputy General Secretary Pun said he returned home becoming completely healthy due to the best wishes of all. Also, the former minister, Pun had left for China on February 13. He underwent treatment at Third People's Hospital, China.    

The government attorneys are giving the response pleading with the conclusion of the pleadings on behalf of the accused in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. The government attorneys will today respond to the legal questions raised by the lawyers pleading on behalf of the accused and the time until 1 pm has been set for this purpose, said Laxman Upadhyaya Ghimire, the District Attorney and spokesperson for the District Government Attorney Office. Chief of the District Government Attorney Office, Joint Attorney Achyut Mani Neupane, District Attorney Ghimire, District Attorney Mahesh Prasad Khatri and Assistant District Attorney Nirmala Marasini will be making the response pleading at the Kathmandu District Court today. Ghimire said that they are preparing to conclude the pleading before 1pm. It is said the court order regarding whether or not the accused should be held in custody is expected by the evening today. Generally, the court decision regarding whether or not the accused should be held in custody is made the day the response pleading by the government attorneys concludes. The District Government Attorney Office had filed cases at the District Court, Kathmandu against the accused on May 24, based on the report submitted by the police in connection to the scandal. Cases have been filed against 30 people for their involvement in the scam. They include former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, Dr Indrajeet Rai who was the security advisor to the former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bhutanese refugee leader Teknath Rizal among others. They have been charged with fraud, cheating, organized crime and treason. Twelve accused in this case are still absconding.  

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee unanimously endorsed Supreme Court acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki as the Chief Justice. A meeting of the Hearing Committee held in Singha Durbar on Friday unanimously endorsed Karki’s name as Chief Justice. Committee member Mahesh Bartaula informed that Karki’s name was unanimously endorsed as Chief Justice. Karki will be appointed as Chief Justice if President Ram Chandra Paudel appoints him to the top post of the Supreme Court. There is a constitutional provision that the President appoints the Chief Justice if the person recommended by the Constitutional Council is endorsed by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee. The Constitutional Council recommended Karki, also the acting Chief Justice, for the post of Chief Justice on April 28. More than 30 complaints were registered against him.