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Children under five years of age are being administered Vitamin 'A' and deworming tablets across the country today and tomorrow.

The National Vitamin 'A' program of the Ministry of Health and Population is taking a lead to administer Vitamin 'A' and deworming tablets.

Chief of Child Health and Immunization Section at the Department of Health Services, Dr Abhiyan Gautam, said that the children from six months up to five years would receive Vitamin 'A' and deworming tables from women health volunteers who have been mobilized across the country.

The first phase of the Vitamin 'A' campaign scheduled for October 19 and 20 is being implemented today as that could not happen in October due to Dashain vacation.

Around 2.7 million children would be administered Vitamin 'A' and deworming tablets to 2.4 million children. RSS

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Yog Raj Dhakal aka Regal surrendered to police on Thursday.

He turned himself in to the District Police Office, Banke this afternoon.

Soon after the order of the apex court, police were mobilized to arrest Regal. He, however, surrendered to the police, according to a high police source.

Police were mobilized to apprehend Regal after the Supreme Court quashed the decision of the President to pardon his remaining jail terms.

A full bench of Justice Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada, Sapana Malla Pradhan and Kumar Chudal annulled the decision to President Ram Chandra Paudel to grant amnesty to Regal.

Though the hearing against the decision to grant amnesty to Regal was concluded on Wednesday, the decision was announced only today.

On September 19, President Paudel pardoned Regal as per the government’s recommendation on the occasion of Constitution Day.

Against the same decision, Chetan Manandhar’s wife Bharati Sherpa Manandhar filed a writ petition at the apex court demanding the arrest of the Regal again.

The President’s Office, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Home Ministry, District Administration Office, Banke, District Prison Office, Dang, District Administration Office, Dang and Office of the Attorney General, Kathmandu were made defendants in the case.

Regal had killed Manandhar in broad daylight by using a khukuri on July 14, 2015.

In April, he was convicted of the murder and was slapped with 20 years imprisonment by the Banke District Court.

Bharati had started a hunger strike in Maitighar, Kathmandu following Dashain festival demanding justice for her husband.

The National Human Rights Commission has retained its ‘A’ status amid fears that it could be downgraded due to a flawed process of appointment of office-bearers.  

At its first session of 2021, GANHRI Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) had decided to conduct a special review of the accreditation status of the NHRC.  SCA had taken such a decision after a group of civil society organizations alleged that the 2021 appointment process of NHRC was inconsistent with domestic laws and essential requirements of the Paris Principles (PP). 

At its second session of 2021, SCA had decided to defer the review of NHRC to its second session of 2022, with the judgment of the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court over the legality of appointments made by the KP Sharma Oli-led government pending.  

SCA has expressed satisfaction that the information provided by NHRC demonstrates full compliance with PP. It has encouraged NHRC to continue to advocate for amendments to the NHRC Act to provide for a selection and appointment process that complies with PP. The verdict of the SC on the legal challenge to the appointments of NHRC in 2021 has not yet been delivered and that a hearing date has been set for 6 Dec 2023.  SCA has further stated that NHRC should take reasonable steps to enhance its effectiveness and independence, which has been largely questioned after the flawed appointments in 2021.

 NHRC has been suggested to continue its cooperation and actively engage with OHCHR and other international regional and national level organizations to effectively discharge its mandate. The SCA has provided following recommendations: Publicize vacancies broadly;  maximize the number of potential candidates from a wide range of societal groups; promote broad consultation and/or participation in the application, screening, selection and appointment process. 

SCA emphasizes that, to function effectively, an NHRI must be provided with an appropriate level of funding in order to guarantee its independence and its ability to freely determine its priorities and activities. It must also have the power to allocate funding according to its priorities. It encourages the NHRC to continue to advocate for an appropriate level of funding to carry out its mandate, including the work at the grassroots with its 10 field offices.

Police have opened fire to take a drug smuggler under control at Gothatar in the Capital on Wednesday.

The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office said that a team deployed from the Office opened fire in retaliation after the brown sugar smuggler tried to attack the security personnel.

The arrestee has been identified as Indian national Mohammad karim.

He sustained bullet injuries in his thigh.

Police have also arrested a Nepali national.

It has been learnt that police also recovered a pistol and its three rounds of bullets from Karim’s possession.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, police said.