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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has underlined the need of promoting Nepal's security amidst challenges in the security atmosphere at the national and international level. In his address to a ceremony organized to mark the induction parade of newly commissioned cadet training at Kharipati-based Nepali Military Academy in Bhaktapur today, the   head of the government said the dynamism was needed to rightly assess existing national and international security atmosphere and its possible impacts and consequences and to keep Nepal safe amidst complex challenges. "The trust of the nation and people that the Nepali Army has earned has been reflected in its delivery," the Prime Minister said, adding that it was a matter of pride to get an opportunity to serve the nation as the Nepali Army officer cadets. He urged newly passed out officer cadets to live with this pride and maintain it till the end of their professional life and dedicate themselves to the service of the people and the nation. "One additional national responsibility has come on the shoulders of new commissioned officers and cadets," the Prime Minister said, adding that side by side they were additionally responsible for performing with excellence and taking the image of NA to a new height. The global identity that Nepal is the country of the brave Gurkhas is due to the valor and performance of the Nepali Army, the Prime Minister said and added that the NA had protected this image through its rich resources, advanced services and trained and high-morale work force. He expressed his hope that the newly commissioned cadets would always remember the contribution of their predecessors to Nepal's history and would perform being inspired by such a glorious history. The Prime Minister also utilized the forum to praise the NA for its role to establish itself as a professional and disciplined institution. Stating that Nepali Army was established nationally and internationally as a multifaceted, strong, competent and strong organization capable of delivering on its responsibilities in an organized and excellent manner, Dahal asserted that our country was moving towards a prosperous future amidst adverse situations at present. PM Dahal argued, "Development is indispensable for security strengthening while security in accordance with the rules were prerequisite for development and prosperity." He expressed his confidence that the Nepali Army would ever be alert and prepared to face any security challenges and other challenges that may emanate in future. According to him, the training imparted in Nepal was recognized by foreign countries and held his belief that the Academy would conduct training in a timely manner thereby further enhancing its professional image. The PM pledged full cooperation from his side to scale up infrastructures and equipment for training areas and centers at the time where, he added, the number of trainees was increasing while the centers to receive training were decreasing. "One each officer from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zambia are participating in this training. I feel proud to know that there have been 23 commissioners from various 10 neighbor countries over a decade," remarked the Head of the Government. PM Dahal rewarded Krishna Khadka and Khagendra Karki with a khukuri for standing out best during their respective training sessions. Dahal handed over a baton to Apsara Budhathoki for her best delivery in the training. A total of 35 trainees of Nepali Army and one from Zambia have earned commissioner post completing three-year training. Present in the program were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Purna Bahadur Khadka, Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma and Heads of the security agencies in the country.  

The Election Commission has issued permission to six organizations for the election observation of the by-election for the member of House of Representatives (HoR) going to be held on April 23. The notice issued by the Commission today said that six of seven organizations that had applied for observation were selected as per the Election Observation Directive-2079 BS. The selection was based on the fulfillment of the due process for observation, according to Shaligram Sharma Poudel, Spokesperson of the Commission. The organizations getting permission are the National Election Observation Committee (NEOC), INSEC, Good-governance Federation Nepal, World Consumer Federation-Nepal, Former Judges Forum Nepal and Forum for Nation Building Nepal. Persons recommended by these selected organizations will be allowed to observe the by-elections in Bara-2, Tanahun-2 and Chitwan-2.

The Election Commission (EC) has launched a voter education training for volunteers in all three constituencies for the HoR by-election scheduled for April 23. The two-day training to be held on April 10-11 will prepare volunteers, two of them to be deployed at each of Bara constituency 2, Tanahun constituency 1 and Chitwan constituency 2, it has been said. Election commissioner Dr Janaki Kumari Tuladhar inaugurated the training at Tanahun constituency 1, the EC secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi at Chitwan 2 and under-secretary Surya Prasad Aryal- at Bara 2. The volunteers are tasked with providing voter education. Their remuneration is Rs 1,000 per day.

A meeting of the top leaders of the major political parties, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chief whips ended inconclusively on Tuesday. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Speaker Devraj Ghimire and chief whips among others were present in the meeting held in Baluwatar this morning. A Baluwatar source said that the next meeting will be held in Singha Durbar at 1 pm on April 14. Though the leaders have agreed to make the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) among other bills ‘widely acceptable’, they have decided hold discussions on matters of the TRC bill and its procedures again, it has been learnt. The leaders have also agreed to decide on the leadership and representation of joint committees and other committees on the basis of consensus. UML Chief Whip Padam Giri, CPN (Maoist Center) Chief Whip Hit Raj Pandey, Nepali Congress lawmaker Ishwori Neupane, Attorney General Dinmani Pokharel, former Attorney General Ramesh Badal also took part in the meeting. After the main opposition rejected the government’s proposal to take the TRC bill ahead through fast track, the government has not taken forward the proposal yet.