Kathmandu, September 13, 2007

The CPN-Maoist’s round table conference scheduled for today was postponed due to, what the Maoist leaders claimed, “lack of adequate preparation” for the same. Senior Maoist leader CP Gajurel, who heads the party’s foreign affairs department, told this daily that the roundtable conference planned for today was postponed as ethnic fronts and fringe leftist parties “sought more” time to take part in the conference.

Gajurel said they would hold the conference on Saturday. Asked whether the conference was called off due to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s last moment request to put it off, Gajurel said, “We had already decided to postpone it till Saturday last night, as talks were being held with ethnic fronts, fringe leftist parties and Madhesi groups who have launched peaceful agitation.” A Baluwatar source, however, claimed that the Maoist put off the conference due to the PM’s intervention.

According to the source, PM Koirala telephoned Maoist chairman Prachanda this morning and asked him to put off the planned conference if the Maoists were sincere to keep intact the unity of the seven-party alliance and the Maoists. “If the Maoists decide to hold the conference going without taking into account the eight-party unity, all the understandings and agreements reached between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists will have no meaning,” the Baluwatar source quoted the PM as telling Prachanda over the phone.

CC yet to act on CJ’s appointment

Kathmandu, September 13, 2007

After Officiating Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri failed the hearing of the Parliamentary Special Committee, the Constitutional Council is yet to take any initiative regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice.

A source in the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet (PMO) said there was no specific legal provision on what should be done if the parliamentary committee is divided over the nominee. “The CC has the authority to take further decision in this regard but no initiative has yet been taken,” the source said. He added that the CC might be divided because the CPNUML and the Maoist representatives might be against Giri’s appointment.

The CC headed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has Speaker Subas Nembang, Chief Justice and Law Minister Narendra Bikram Nembang as ex-officio members. NC minister Ram Chandra Paudel, UML Minister Shahana Pradhan and Maoist Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara are the other members of the CC. Officiating CJ Giri cannot participate in the meeting to appoint himself.

The PHSC yesterday forwarded its divided decision on Giri to CC. “Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala cannot take any decision on his own,” the source said. “In normal circumstances, the PM can appoint the CJ if the nominee is approved unanimously by the parliamentary hearing.