Dr. Yadav elected as the first president of republic Nepal

Defeating his contestant Ramraja Prasad Singh with 26 votes, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has been elected as the first president of republican Nepal.

Constituent Assembly (CA) chairman K.B Gurung announced in the CA meeting Monday evening that Yadav had been elected president by winning a simple majority. Dr. Yadav has accumulated 308 votes against his contestant Singh’s 282 votes.

The CA had re-polled to elect the president as none of the candidates bagged clear majority in their support constitutionally required to become the winner. 298 votes were mandatory to win the race.

Dr. Yadav was proposed as a common presidential candidate by Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) after the CPN-Maoist, the largest party, proposed Ramraja Prasad Singh for presidential candidacy which was ‘a betrayal for UML’ in its term.

Though MPRF was in support to the Maoist-proposed candidate Ramraja Prasad Singh, it turned away accusing Maoist of neglecting MPRF while proposing name of vice president.

Maoist had proposed Shanta Shrestha for the candidacy of the vice president who has already been defeated by MPRF’s leader and coalition candidate Paramananda Jha through Saturday’s elections.

MFJ leader Jha had bagged 305 votes out of 578 limiting his closest contestant Shrestha of CPN-Maoist in 243 votes.

RPP, RJM, RJP, Chure Bhabar, Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal and 2 independents among other were in support of Dr. Yadav’s coalition while TMLP, Sadvawana, People’s Front among a few others had supported Singh’s coalition.

First meeting of CA to convene at BICC

The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) is to convene at the Sagarmatha main hall of the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) at New Baneshwor.

As the current parliamentary building does not accomodate 601 CA memebers having capacity of only 400 persons, BICC was chosen for the
CA meeting.

According to reports, the government is making necessary preparation for the CA to convene at BICC. The 601 membered first sitting of the CA
is due to convene after 21 days of the final results of CA polls.

“The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works will formally recommend to the government within a day or two to hold the CA meet at the BICC as no other appropriate hall that could accommodate all 601 CA members is currently available,” a news report quoted secretary at the ministry Umakant Jha as saying.

The BICC hall is already well furnished and equipped, only a few adjustments like rearrangements of seats, microphones, recording systems and arrangements for media persons and visitors are required.

CA polls held peacefully, over 60% casts vote

Historic Constituent Assembly (CA) polls held on Thursday (April 10, 2008) have passed by smoothly and peacefully with a huge 60 percent turnout of voters at the polling booths across the country.

According to the Election Commission (EC), over 60 percent of the totel 17.6 million eligible voters exercised their rights at 239 of the 240 electoral constituencies to elect a Constituent Assembly which would draft the country’s new constitution.

The crucial election went smoothly and peacefully across the country with some sporadic incidents of violence at few polling booths in the country, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Bhoj Raj Pokhrel after the completion of the polls said.

Two persons, including an independent candidate from Sarlahi-6, were killed and polling was cancelled in 33 of the 20,889 polling stations.

“These numbers are far below than what was anticipated widely,” CEC Pokhrel said in a press conference organised by EC shortly after the election ended on Thursday.

The EC informed that the elections had to be postponed in those areas as some party cadres tried to capture booths, blank-fired and chased the voters away from the booths.

The EC also extended gratitude to all voters, the government, political parties, candidates, election staff, teachers, security personnel, civil society, national and international observers, media and entire international community who helped to make this election a success.

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Photo: An elderly women casting her vote in a booth of Bhaktapur constituency No 1. Most of the women and elderly people casted their vote during early hours of election fearing violence.

Govt. hikes petroleum products price again

The government on Monday have announced yet another hike in the price of petroleum products, with effect from midnight.

"According to the new price list, kerosene and diesel will be dearer by Rs 9.48 and Rs 5.02 per litre respectively," a press release issued by the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) said.

Similarly, the rate of LP gas has been increased to Rs 1,250 per cylinder from Rs 1100. However, LP gas will cost 20 rupees cheaper in some Terai parts.

The price of air turbine fuel (ATF) and petrol will, however, remain the same.

As per the revised rate, diesel will now cost Rs 61 and 30 paisa and kerosene Rs 61 per litre.

An official at the NOC said that the rate of diesel and kerosene has been made equal following complaints of adulteration in diesel.

Students and people from lower income bracket will get fixed amount of subsidy on purchase of the petroleum products.

The NOC had hiked the price of petrol just four weeks earlier, citing its burgeoning losses and growing costs in the international market.

We will hold CA elections at any cost, say SPA leaders

Senior leaders of ruling Seven Party Alliance (SPA) have expressed their commitment to hold Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in April 10 at any cost.

They said if the CA elections would not be held in the fixed date at a time when the elections had been deferred for two times, political parties would loose credibility from people and international communities.

Addressing the first joint mass meeting they ever held in the context of holding CA elections, the leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist, People's Front, Nepal Worker's Peasant Party, Nepal Sadvawana Paery- Anandidevi and Joint People's Front assured people that they were ready to face any sort of challenge to hold the elections.

Addressing the mass meting, CPN-UML Secretary General Madhav Kumar Nepal opined that seven political parties were responsible for deferring the CA elections for two times. Stating that parties must realize this mistake, he said such mistake should not be repeated.

'If any party trembles its leg to go in the elections and tries to disrupt the elections, people should make them necked'- he said.

Stressing on the need of unity among the people of Himal, Pahad and Terai, UML-Stalwart Nepal said people should retaliate to those who exercise CA elections as bargaining.

Senior leader of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba appealed people not to create any suspicion over Congress as it has already decided to opt federal republican structure in the country.

Addressing the meeting, Maoist Chairman Prachanda termed the joint mass meeting as resolution of building new Nepal and declaration of new structure of state.

Prachanda said CA elections was now challenge for royal palace, feudal aristocrats and international reactionary forces. During the address, Chairman Prachanda also spent time in slamming Army Chief Rukmangud Katuwal's remark on the integration of Nepal Army and Maoist Combatants. He charged Katuwal of doing politics in the name of boycotting politics in security body.

Vice chairperson of Nepal Sadvawana Party-Anandidevi, Shyam Sundar Gupta, People's Front Chairman Amik Sherchan, Joint Front's leader CP Mainali and Nepal Worker's Peasant Party leader Prem Suwal had also addressed the mass meeting. The meeting was chaired by NC leader Prakash Man Singh.