Kathmandu, May 1, 2006

The meeting of the seven-party alliance’s top leaders, held today at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence, ended inconclusively due to “sharp differences” over allocation of ministerial portfolios. The meeting, however, agreed in principle that the strength of the cabinet would not exceed 21. It has been almost a week since the alliance unanimously picked Koirala prime minister but ministry formation has been delayed due to differences among the major partners. Alliance sources said the meeting saw differences after the Nepali Congress said it would like to keep the portfolios of deputy prime minister and Home Affairs, two portfolios the UML had already claimed besides other important portfolios , and the major alliance partners did not agree to that. “If our presence is necessary, ministerial portfolios must be distributed to us according to our strength in parliament, popularity and our contribution to the movement,” said a UML central committee member. He added “We have told them (NC) to form their own government if they refuse to give us the Dy PM and Home portfolios.” Shortly after the meeting, the UML standing committee held a meeting. Standing committee member Amrit Kumar Bohara told this daily that the “Parliament was reinstated on the strength of the people’s movement and the government should also be formed according to its spirit”.

CJ waiting for formal impeachment process

Kathmandu, May 1, 2006

At a time when politicians and professionals are demanding that the reinstated House of Representatives impeach officials of several Constitutional bodies for having acted against the Constitution during the King’s regime, Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Paudel told his close aides that he was awaiting formal proceedings in the House. “The Chief Justice may think of resigning if the Parliamentarians initiated a formal process against him,” an SC judge told this daily today. He added that the CJ is consulting his close aides on the issue. “He may think of resigning if the parliamentarians made a move to impeach him” he said. According to him, the Chief Justice has been consulting his friends on how to react if the House initiated an impeachment process. However, the personal secretary of the CJ, Shreekrishna Bhattarai, said he has no idea on what the CJ would do if the House initiated action against him. The seven-party-alliance has said the government will scrap all decisions and appointments made under Article 127 and that if needed the House will initiate impeachment proceedings against some persons. “If he (the CJ) does not step down within a few days we will formally act,” said a member of parliament.