Kathmandu, March 27, 2007

Maoist chairman Prachanda and Prime Minister GP Koirala today had a one-on-one on formation of an interim government, but it ended inconclusively.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala refused to name a Deputy Prime Minister from any party when Prachanda insisted that the post of the DPM should go to his party. Prachanda staked the claim basing it on a “gentleman’s agreement” reached earlier whereby Subash Nembang was named speaker of the interim parliament and Koirala Prime Minister.

NC sources also told HNS that a possible breakthrough could be expected after the SAARC meet. Earlier today, Prachanda and his senior aides Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Krishna Bahadur Mahara had left the party central committee meeting for the PM’s official residence “to discuss the issue with him.”

During the meeting with the PM, Prachanda urged Koirala not to take any decision without consulting the other political parties, including the Maoists, sources said, according to a Kantipur online report.

It also said a majority of the leaders present in today’s meeting suggested “the party should not join the interim government if Constituent Assembly (CA) elections cannot be held by mid-June and that the Maoists’ central committee meeting will conclude tomorrow.

It quoted Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara as saying that there is a possibility that the party may decide to participate in the CA elections without joining the interim government. PM Koirala is leaving for the Indian capital to attend the SAARC summit on Sunday.

A report by nepalnews.com quoted Prachanda as saying that no final decision has yet been reached about his party joining the government.

Panel to incorporate federalism in judiciary

Kathmandu, March 27, 2007

The Supreme Court has been preparing to conduct a study on adoption of federal structure in the judiciary to make it compatible with the federal system of governance as incorporated in the Interim Constitution 2007 by its first amendment on March 9.

After the recommendation of Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi-led judges’ committee formed to revise the jurisdiction of the courts, Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel has proposed to form a panel to study the federal structure in the judiciary.

The panel will be headed by Justice Anup Raj Sharma. Justice Kalyan Shrestha, Registrar Dr Ram Krishna Timalsena, Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Kul Ratna Bhurtel, advocate Purna Man Shakaya and a representative of the Nepal Bar Association will be other members of the panel.

“The panel would recommend what type of courts will be there in the new structure and on their jurisdiction,” Justice Kalyan Shrestha said. SC has asked the UNDP-Nepal to help the apex court in the study.