Kathmandu, December 17, 2007

The taskforce of the sevenparty alliance has recommended to the alliance’s top leadership that it is not necessary to mention anything about the king and the institution of monarchy while declaring the country a republic subject to its endorsement by the first meeting of the constituent assembly. The taskforce made this recommendation at its lengthy meeting held today at the Prime Minister’s residence.

United Left Front leader C P Mainali, who is one of the taskforce members, told this daily: “We’ve made substantial progress on the constitutional and political issues as well as the compliance with the peace process.” A highly-placed alliance source, however, informed that the taskforce has reached a consensus that nothing would be mentioned about the king and the institution of monarchy while making the third amendment of the interim constitution declaring the country a republic subject to its endorsement by the first meeting of the constituent assembly.

Maoist leadership had been insisting that no words should be mentioned on monarchy in the interim constitution while making the third amendment of the interim constitution.

Today’s meeting of the alliance taskforce recommended that the strength of the constituent assembly would be increased to 601 (240 for the first-past-the-post, 335 for proportional representation and 26 seats to be appointed by the council of ministers) from the existing strength of 497.

All royal palaces are now govt property

Kathmandu, December 17, 2007

It is official now. Some 15 royal palaces and the land occupied by them, considered as prime property once owned by the kings, are now national property.

Likewise, the ownership of 825 ropanis of land, belonging to late king Birendra and his family within the Kathmandu valley, has been registered in the government’s name. Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula informed the parliamentary State Affairs Committee today.

Palaces owned by late king Birendra and subsequently taken possession of by king Gyanendra have all been registered in the government’s name, Sitaula said. The palaces include Narayanhity Royal Palace, Gokarna Palace, Ratna Mandir in Pokhara, Diyalo Bungalow in Chitwan, Gorkha Palace, Lamjung Palace, Nuwakot Palace, Lalitpur Palace, Hetauda Palace, Nagarjung Palace and Bhaktapur Palace.

These palaces cover 2,417 ropanis, 3 anas, 2 paisa and 2 daam of land. Members of the parliamentary State Affairs Committee, however, termed the government’s details on the property as “discouraging”. “Home Minister’s detail and attitude indicate that the government has failed to work hard,” NC lawmaker Amod Upadhyaya said, adding, “Much has to be worked out. This is not enough.”