Oli Asking Poll Body Not to Get Into Any Party Disputes Raises Concerns

WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 344 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 28.3 C -1.5 C Wednesday, February 10, 2021 | 28-10-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla A pall of gloom and fear Oli asking poll body hangs over Baitadi village since teenage girl found dead not to get into any Schools remain closed as calls grow louder that culprit(s) party disputes should be booked. Police say, based on the post-mortem report, someone killed the 17-year-old after rape. raises concerns TRIPTI SHAHI submitted on Monday, police have con- BAITADI, FEB 9 cluded that someone had raped her As polls are not possible until the Nepal Communist Party before strangling her to death. Sanatan Dharma Secondary School Police have said the report also issue is resolved, analysts wonder if the prime minister has in ward 3 of Dogadakedar Rural showed that the girl sustained wounds Municipality, Baitadi has been closed on her head, legs, mouth, hands and a different game plan to drive his opponents into a corner. since last Thursday after the body of a genitals. 17-year-old female student was found The teenager had left for school at in a semi-naked state in a forest. around 10am on Wednesday. She left TIKA R PRADHAN the Nepal Communist Party dispute. Such has been the trauma caused by the school premises at around 2pm, KATHMANDU, FEB 9 “Saying that the commission should the apparent rape and murder of the according to her family members. not discuss the party dispute(s) any- 12th grader here that 59 other schools “We were told she was last seen at A day after the Cabinet decided to con- more, since the election period has in the rural municipality have been Khochlek Bazaar at around 2pm with duct polls in 40 districts on April 30 and already begun as per the Election closed too. some of her friends,” said Shankar 37 districts on May 10, Prime Minister Commission’s regulations, the prime “Many students, especially girls, Bhatta, the victim’s uncle. “She was KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday reached the minister expressed confidence that the have been reluctant to attend school,” apparently heading towards home Election Commission “to take stock of commission will work in accordance said Baldev Nath, headmaster of with one of the local people from the the ongoing preparations”. with the law and abide by the process,” Sanatan Dharma Secondary School. village, those who saw her told me.” The Oli government declared polls says a statement issued by the Election ‘“We are planning to open the school But she never reached home. for April 30 and May 10 on December Commission after Oli’s visit to its from Wednesday, but I don’t think we Her friends remember the victim as 20 after dissolving the House of office. “He also congratulated the com- will have all the students back—espe- someone friendly and approachable. Representatives, a move which has mission and newly appointed commis- cially girls—since they are still in a “Although I was a year senior, she been challenged in the Supreme sioners on getting a full shape.” state of shock.” and I were friends. I can’t imagine Court. The Constitutional Bench of Stating that there was no dispute On Thursday, the body of the why anyone would do something so the Supreme Court is yet to complete before December 20, Oli had said as 17-year-old from Chadepani was found terrible to her,” said Jyoti Bhatta, 18, the hearing. per the regulation on political parties 100 metres away from Khochlek- who recently completed grade 12 from The House dissolution led to the the Election Commission cannot enter Chadepani rural road. the same school. splitting of the Nepal Communist into the dispute within 120 days after Based on the postmortem report Another friend Rekha Bhatta, 17, Party, with the other faction led by the polls are announced. Oli had also said they used to walk together Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav said he was the first chairman and to and from school. But on Kumar Nepal demanding restoration had signed all the recommendations Wednesday, she said her friend of the House—and on one occasion for the candidates of bypolls and left with some junior students. even asking the poll body to halt its National Assembly and therefore his “We would usually walk to preparations. signature should be valid. school together, but that day I The Election Commission is yet to As soon as the disputes arose in the wasn’t with her,” said Rekha. decide to which faction the Nepal Nepal Communist Party following the “We used to take the same path Communist Party belongs, as both Oli dissolution of the House, the Election to and from school every day, but as well as Dahal and Nepal are staking Commission had amended Rule 5(8) since her death, I haven’t been claim to the party. and Rule 23(6) of the Regulation on able to walk down that road.” Oli, who has repeatedly said the Political Parties-2018 that restricted She has not even been able to House cannot be restored and making the commission to look after the dis- step out of the house alone. POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI a pitch for the elections, on Tuesday putes once the election was announced. >> Continued on page 2 A policewoman stands guard at the entrance of Patan Museum in Lalitpur on Tuesday. told election officials not to get into >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Malnutrition in children serious health Oli asking poll body not to get into any party disputes raises concerns challenge in several Karnali districts >> Continued from page 1 This sort of activity is unacceptable in democratic But many, including former election officials, practices.” wonder, how elections can take place without But it’s not just about what party and symbol Oli Poverty, food shortage and lack of awareness behind existing malnutrition crisis, say experts. resolving the Nepal Communist Party dispute. gets. Analysts say the larger game Oli might be While the Dahal-Nepal faction had approached trying to play is not only getting things in his the Election Commission on December 25 seeking favour but also to drive the other faction led by his to update the changes made in the party, including opponents into a corner. office-bearers, of details in the officer-bearers–say- If the Nepal Communist Party and the sun elec- ing that they have a majority of the 441 Central tion symbol are frozen by the commission as a Committee members on their side. result of indecision—or its compliance with Oli’s The Oli faction, however, had enlarged its instruction not to get into the party dispute, the Central Committee to 1,501, saying majority mem- Dahal-Nepal faction will be left without a party. bers were with it. They won’t be able to register even a new party, On January 24 the Election Commission, howev- which will mean they either have to woo any other er, refused to recognise either faction as the legiti- party already registered with the commission or mitate Nepal Communist Party, saying it could boycott the polls altogether. recognise only one Nepal Communist Party—the Pokharel, the former chief election commission- one which was registered with it and just Oli and er, said the prime minister could have asked the Dahal as its chairs. This meant the commission did commission to focus on polls which the govern- not recognise Madhav Kumar Nepal as the chair of ment has already announced. the other faction. The other faction’s Central “It’s natural that both sides will try to influence Committee meeting on December 22 had elevated the poll body to make them look stronger,” Pokharel Madhav Nepal as the other chair of the party, giv- told the Post. “But it’s now up to the Election ing him the status equal to Dahal. Commission to take decisions analysing the devel- In an interview with the Post a couple of weeks opments in the country’s best interest.” ago, Bhojraj Pokharel, former chief election com- According to Pokharel, if the prime minister has missioner, had described elections as a game and indeed asked the commission not to get into any political parties as the players. party dispute, it will mean the Nepal Communsit “Unless the players are ready, the game cannot Party (Oli faction) also would not be able to join the commence,” Pokharel told the Post. polls. But Oli now has been asking the commission not “If polls were to be held, the players—the politi- to enter the communist party’s dispute. While both cal parties—must be ready,” said Pokharel. “And the factions have so far updated their details, none for that the Nepal Communist Party dispute must has approached the poll body with an application be resolved.” that says it wants to be registered as a new party. If the Dahal-Nepal faction is not satisfied with POST PHOTO: TULARAM PANDEY As per Section 33 (2) of the Political Parties Act- the commission decision and decides to boycott Khandachakra Municipality in Kalikot has launched a campaign to promote the consumption of locally available food to tackle malnutrition. 2017, a new party can be formed by splitting a party polls, questions could arise over the commission as with the support of at least 40 percent members of well as the validity of elections if they happen TULARAM PANDEY IN KALIKOT & the information officer at the health office.

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