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The government has backtracked from its decision to scrap district election offices. The government backed out after the CPN-UML and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmakers obstructed the Parliament meeting on Tuesday demanding that the decision to scrap the district election offices be rolled back. In the meeting, Finance Minister Prakash Saran Mahat expressed his commitment not to confine the district elections offices within the district administration office. “We had not said that the offices will be scrapped in the context of commission. Election offices will remain as they are,” he said. Minister Mahat said that the government will not deviate from the belief that ordinary citizens can freely participate in the elections in a fair and fearless environment. “We will guarantee the independence of the Election Commission. Initiatives will be taken to make the district election offices more independent and effective,” he said. Saying that they stand in favor of the independent existence of the Election Commission, he expressed his commitment that the government will do its best not to create doubt on the same, Minister Mahat said. Earlier, in the Parliament meeting today, the CPN-UML and the Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmakers staged a protest against the proposal to bring the district election offices under the CDO office.

The Nepali Congress on Tuesday directed its lawmakers to compulsorily attend the meeting of the House of Representatives. NC Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak issued a whip to the party’s parliamentarians to compulsorily present in the Parliament meeting slated for 11 am on Wednesday. The Congress has directed its lawmakers to vote in favor of Appropriation Bill, 2080 and not to remain neutral. As the Appropriation Bill, 2080 (Budget of 2080 81) will be presented in the meeting of the House of Representatives at 11 am on June 28, the party lawmakers have been directed to attend the meeting and vote in favor of Appropriation Bill 2080 and not to remain neutral, Lekhak said. The lawmakers have been saying that they will not allow the budget to be passed without amendment. CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajbadi Party, CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janamat Party lawmakers have been saying that the budget cannot be passed as it is.    

Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet has directed the directors of various hospitals in Kathmandu Valley to ensure systematic health and medical services. He asked them to maintain quality health services to the common people. Minister Basnet made such a direction during a meeting with the directors of hospitals in the valley at his office on Monday. He reminded that 10 percent of hospital beds need to be allocated to the poor and helpless citizens. No sick one would be deprived of health service. The meeting was attended by the directors of Bir Hospital, Paropakar Maternity Hospital, Shukraraj Tropical Hospital, Kanti Children Hospital, Martyr Ganga Lal National Heart Centre, National Trauma Centre and Shukraraj Tropical and Communicable Disease Control Hospital.  

The National Concern and Coordination Committee of the National Assembly held a discussion on the auditing process, arrears, implementation status of the report of Office of Auditor General, problems, challenges and solution of auditing. Committee Chairman Dil Kumari Rawal Thapa said that they discussed the reasons behind growing arrears and measures to be taken for correction. "Fiscal discipline is essential to reduce arrears," she said, adding that issues such as policy and structural reforms, human workforce management, use of new policy, effective implementation of new technology was zeroed in during the meeting held with Office of the Auditor General (OAG). The Committee would direct the concerned bodies for reform after garnering suggestions to this regard, according to her. Lawmakers said commission-seeking culture of government employees, frequent transfer, and a huge amount released early as remuneration were some of the reasons behind increase in arrears. Lawmaker Kumar Dasaudi blamed the government for spending a huge amount of budget at the end of fiscal year. The OAG sought suggestions by the lawmakers on how existing legal arrangements could address the problems of arrears. The office chiefs must be made accountable to address this problem, they added. On the occasion, Acting Auditor General Ram Maya Kunwar stressed the need for reform from the very local level.