Cabinet passes constitution implementation action plan

Kathmandu / June 16: A meeting of the Council of Ministers today passed the Constitution Implementation Action Plan to be concluded within the second week of January 2017.

The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar approved the action plan of forming the Language Commission, holding the local election and bringing Act related to the Justice Administration, constituting the federal commission for collecting suggestions on province demarcation within August 16, constituting the High Courts within September 16, bringing legislation related to constitutional bodies and commissions within October 16, forming the federal parliament election constituencies delimitation commission and constituting the constitutional bodies within November 15, and holding the local body election within December 15 this year. The constitutional bodies and commissions would be formed in the meantime, according to the action plan.

Similarly, the government shall appoint the province chiefs and assign the temporary capitals of the provinces within April 13, 2017 while holding the general election in January 2018.

The government has also decided to bring laws related to the election of the President and Vice President and the laws concerning harmonization of the employees of the federal, province and local levels within January 13, 2017. A decision has also been made to bring legislation on the election to the federal parliament, provincial assembly and members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly within that period. It is stated the election of the members of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly will be held within November 2017.

Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Information and Communications Sherdhan Rai said the government would present the action plan in the Legislature-Parliament.

It is stated in the action plan that the election of the President and Vice President would be held after concluding the general election within January 2018 in course of implementing the constitution passed by the Constituent Assembly on September 20, 2015.

More Cabinet decisions

Minister Rai, who is also the government spokesman, said today’s Cabinet meeting has promoted Shailendra Khanal and Jeet Bahadur Pun to the post of Additional Inspector General of the Armed Police Force (APF) while it has revised its earlier decision of April 19 regarding the recommendation of names for appointment to ambassador posts to Myanmar and the Russian Federation. As per its revised decision Niranjan Thapa, who was previously reommended the ambassador to the Russian Federation, has been recommended for appointment as Nepal’s ambassador to Myanmar and Rishiram Ghimire, who was earlier recommended to the post of ambassador of Nepal to Myanmar, to the Russian Federation.

The Council of Ministers also decided to install the bone-marrow transplant machine at any one of the government hospitals within the coming six months.

Likewise, the Cabinet meeting today also fixed the additional charges for acquiring emergency passport from the fast track. Accordingly, one has to pay Rs 15 thousand to get the service within 24 hours from the time the application is submitted, Rs 12 thousand for getting the service within two days of submission of the application and Rs 10 thousand within three days of submission of the application.

In the case of minors below 10 years old, the passport charge has been waived off by half, Minister Rai said. RSS