Bihar CM Nitish Kumar makes big announcement: `alliance with BJP over`

Putting all speculations to rest, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday made a BIG announcement – ''alliance with the BJP is over.''

Although a formal announcement is yet to be made in this regard, sources said that Nitish Kumar-led JDU has decided to part ways with the BJP during a crucial meeting of party MLAs, ZEE reported.

 

Voter education will be made effective to prevent invalidation of ballot papers: EC

The Election Commission has said that it would make the voter education program effective to prevent the invalidation of ballot papers in the elections.

At a program organized at the Election Commission on Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said that the voter education program would be made effective by correcting the past mistakes.

During a discussion with the mediapersons, EC spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Paudel said that the poll body sought suggestions to make the voter education more effective.

He further said that the 116 parties registered at the Commission have been urged to register the parties again to take part in the upcoming elections.

Paudel said that an application with the decision of the Central Committee should be submitted to the Election Commission if two or more than two parties want to contest the elections with the same electoral symbol.

He was of the opinion that the preparations for the upcoming elections are going on in full swing.

The federal and provincial elections are going to be held on November 20.

 

Filing of nominations for first-past-the-post category on October 9

The Election Commission has endorsed the election calendar for the parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for November 20.

According to the election calendar, filing of nominations for both federal and provincial elections under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) category will take place on October 9.

The poll body approved the calendar for the internal purposes to prepare and organize the elections.

Political parties registered at the Election Commission till August 4, 2022 to take part in the direct and proportional elections have been asked to register the parties from August 7 to 16.

As per the election calendar, elections officers will be appointed on September 27, offices will be established on October 7, printing of ballot papers will start from October 14, transportation of election materials will start from November 2, silence period will start from November 17 and voting will start at 7 in the morning till 5 in the evening on November 20.

Chief election officers’ offices and election officers’ offices will be established in 77 districts and in 88 places respectively to conduct elections for 165 House of Representatives (HoR) seats and 330 Provincial Assembly seats.

Similarly, the offices for the election under the Proportional Representation category will be established on August 15.

The Election Commission has decided to start printing ballot papers for the election under the Proportional Representation category from September 5 and to present a closed list on September 18-19.

The Commission, however, is yet to officially publish the schedule.

The election body will also issue a notice about the elections in the Nepal Gazette also.

 

 

Foreign Minister Khadka flying to China today

Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka is leaving for China today.

Minister Khadka is visiting China at the invitation of State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi.

During his stay, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the delegation in Qingdao on August 10.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to host a banquet in honor of Foreign Minister Khadka.

Minister Khadka will return home on 11 August.