NBA poll likely to be postponed

Kathmandu, November 25

Vice President of Nepal Bar Association Tika Ram Bhattarai today said the lawyers’ umbrella organisation could take a decision to postpone its election scheduled for January 9.

He said many lawyers had suggested to the NBA to postpone the election in the face of ongoing agitation in Madhes. NBA is likely to take a call on the issue within a week. Mainly Madhesi lawyers,whom the executive members of the NBA consulted with today, sought postponement of the NBA election.

The NBA had also sought the opinion of past presidents, general secretaries and Madhesi members of the NBA on three issues Madhes agitation and rights issues, unofficial blockade and whether the NBA should play the role of a facilitator.

Some Madhesi lawyers, who took part in the discussion, told the NBA that since lawyers in Madhes were also taking part in the agitation, it would be better to postpone the upcoming election. They also told the NBA that it would be risky for the NBA to hold human rights related programmes in Madhes at a time when Madhes agitation was posing security problems.

Lawyer Ratneshwar Sharma said the NBA should play the role of a mediator between the government and the agitating forces and should postpone its election for at least six months. The NBA has already announced its election schedule. As per the announcement, nominations should be filed before December 3 for the election scheduled for January 9.

Sharma said the NBA had a human rights wing but was mum even as the government was blatantly violating human rights in Madhes.

He also said that the NBA could not call it an India-imposed blockade when the agitating Madhesi parties themselves were claiming that it is they who have imposed blockade on border checkpoints.

He said out of 17 border points, goods were coming from India to Nepal through 16 entry points, and therefore, terming it an India-imposed blockade would be wrong. He said NBA should remain natural on the issue.

Advocate Debendra Jha also urged the executive committee of the NBA to help facilitate a negotiated settlement of the issues as serious talks were not happening between the two sides.