Author: space4knews

The Natikaji Memorial Society has announced the ‘Natikaji National Music Award and Honors 2081.’ This year, the prestigious Natikaji National Distinguished Music Award will be presented to nine artists. Additionally, the awards will include the Natikaji National Music Award, Talent Award, Classical Music Award, and Art Journalism Award, as confirmed by the organizers.

The list of award recipients was released in a statement issued in Kathmandu. Due to the country’s political situation, general elections, and a period of mourning, last year’s award ceremony had been postponed, but it will now be held with great grandeur. Established in memory of the legendary musician Natikaji Shrestha, the society annually recognizes and encourages artists through these honors.

The honored artists for the distinguished music award include lyricist Narayankumar Acharya, singer Jujukani Ranjit, lyricist Birendra Pathak, singer Shashi Gurung, singer Ganesh Parajuli, lyricist Bhimarjun Acharya, musician Nirbansingh Gurung, lyricist Sabu Gadal, and lyricist and musician Ashta Lama. Recipients of the Natikaji National Music Award are Manoj Khadka, singer Roshan Gurung, musician Taraprakash Limbu, singer Sarita Shahi, arranger Chand Singh, and recording engineer Maheshwar Rajbhandari. The Natikaji National Talent Award will go to singer Sahima Shrestha, singer Suresh Lama, and singer Bipana Tamang. In the classical music category, Pramod Upadhyay will be honored, and the Natikaji National Art Journalism Award will be presented to Ananta Wagle and Geeta Adhikari.

Dolprasad Aryal, Vice-Chairperson of the Rastriya Samajbadi Party (RSP), has registered his candidacy for the Speaker position. The election for Speaker is scheduled to take place on Chaitra 22, with the registration of candidates open from 11 AM to 2 PM on Chaitra 17. Given that the RSP holds 182 seats, close to a two-thirds majority, Aryal’s election as Speaker is seen as almost certain.

Aryal’s proposer is the party Chairperson and member of the House of Representatives, Ravi Lamichhane. His supporters include Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle, Minister of Law Sovita Gautam, and Minister of Physical Infrastructure Sunil Lamsal. The Federal Parliament Secretariat has officially set the nomination filing time for the Speaker position from 11 AM to 2 PM today, Friday.

It is anticipated that the House of Representatives meeting on Chaitra 22 will pass a proposal to elect the Speaker, with support from Aryal’s backers. The RSP’s decision to nominate Aryal for the Speaker post was made during the party meeting on Thursday. Holding 182 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, the RSP is close to the two-thirds majority necessary, effectively ensuring Aryal’s victory. Until now, as there was no Speaker, the senior-most member of the House Arjun Narsingh KC has been chairing the sessions.

Kathmandu, 20 Chaitra — Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal visited Manmaiju Temple this morning and offered prayers. Minister Khanal arrived at the temple located in Tarkeghat Municipality-9 and performed his worship after joining the queue along with other devotees.

Manmaiju Bazaar holds significant historical, religious, and archaeological importance and is home to the Newar community’s todo settlement. A traditional festival lasting five days is celebrated starting from the full moon day of Chaitra Shukla. According to local social worker Indraman Maharjan, the festival includes erecting a linggo pole on the first day, offering Marja on the second, Sindur Jatra on the third day, a rest day with relatives being fed on the fourth, and concluding on the fifth day with another Sindur Jatra, deity immersion, and dismantling of the linggo pole.

The Secretariat meeting of the NCP UML is scheduled for today at 1 PM. The agenda includes a discussion on the parliamentary party leader Ram Bahadur Thapa’s address delivered on Thursday. Vice President Bishnu Paudel noted that Thapa’s statements do not align with the party’s established policies and norms, indicating that this matter will be seriously deliberated in the Secretariat meeting.

UML leader Surendra Pandey stated that the current situation is a result of the previous government’s inactivity and emphasized the necessity of investigating the events of Bhadra 23 and 24. Thapa had described the outcomes of the Jenaj movement on Bhadra 23 and 24, as well as the election on Falgun 21, as part of a conspiracy.

Vice President Paudel mentioned that appropriate decisions regarding Badal’s controversial remarks will be made during the Secretariat meeting. Meanwhile, leader Surendra Pandey commented, “Blaming others is an old political tactic,” holding the former UML-led government responsible for its inactivity.

Badal wrote on Facebook, “Yesterday in parliament, we witnessed long tales of ‘conspiracy.’ The army did not protect, officials did not support, and technology failed—blaming everyone else!” He also stated, “We cannot ignore the reality that our politics has not aligned with the aspirations of the people.”

Home Minister Sudan Gurung has posted a photo on Facebook showing himself resting on a sofa, covered with a blanket. Along with the photo, he wrote, ‘No creation is bigger than the creator, and no government is above the people.’ Since assuming office, the minister has instructed authorities to detain leaders recommended for arrest on charges related to suppression.

Kathmandu — Home Minister Sudan Gurung has released a photo appearing to show him resting within his office premises. Shared via his Facebook account, the caption reads, ‘No creation is bigger than the creator, and no government is above the people.’ In the image, he is seen lying on a sofa, covered by a blanket.

Since taking office, the minister has remained visibly active. His efforts include ordering the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, both of whom were recommended for action due to alleged suppression during the Janajati movement. Additionally, Gurung has conducted police station inspections and directed the detention of individuals ranging from controversial businessmen to intermediaries operating within government offices.

Candidacy registration for the Speaker position opens today, as the election is scheduled for Chaitra 22. According to the Federal Parliament Secretariat, the registration period for Speaker candidates is set from 11 AM to 2 PM today, Friday. Following this, the list of candidates will be announced at 2:30 PM. During the House of Representatives meeting scheduled for Chaitra 22, proposals for the Speaker position will be presented and supported by their respective backers. The notice for the candidacy will be issued after collective discussions conclude, as per the defined agenda.

The Rastriya Samajbadi Party (RSP) has nominated the party’s Deputy Chairperson Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal for the Speaker post. The RSP held a meeting on Thursday where Aryal was approved to advance his candidacy for Speaker. His election appears certain, given that the RSP holds a major party status with 182 seats in the House of Representatives. Currently, in the absence of a Speaker, senior member Arjun Narasingh KC has been presiding over the House sessions.

Following the Speaker election, the Vice Chairperson election for the National Assembly is scheduled for Chaitra 23. The candidacy registration for this position will be held on Chaitra 22. The Vice Chairperson position in the National Assembly is presently vacant, as the tenure of former vice-chairperson Bimala Ghimire ended on Falgun 20.

The police have launched a nationwide campaign aimed at eliminating middlemen from government offices. As part of this initiative, the government has issued directive letters to all police offices across the country, instructing them to take necessary action, police Deputy Inspector General Abinayaran Kafle informed. Citizens are advised to lodge complaints at the nearest police station or by dialing 100 if any middlemen attempt to obstruct services in any form. Similarly, the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation took a secretarial-level decision on Wednesday to prohibit the entry of middlemen into land survey and revenue offices nationwide and issued respective guidelines. Following the new government’s publication of a 100-point action plan, government agencies have reportedly stepped up concrete efforts to reform administration.

Due to the influence of middlemen at locations such as traffic offices, passport offices, revenue, and surveying offices, service seekers have been facing significant inconvenience. Police officials acknowledge that middlemen at these offices have been illegally collecting fees under the pretense of ‘assisting’ service recipients in areas with heavy foot traffic, including police stations and other government offices. “Therefore, monitoring, arrests, and control measures have been undertaken at these places to initiate legal action,” spokesperson Kafle explained. Alongside police stations, a circular was issued on Wednesday to restrict middlemen’s entry into other service offices and to detain and prosecute those involved.

“We are deploying plainclothes police officers in government offices to discourage these ongoing activities,” Kafle added. The main points of the circular issued by the police headquarters include: installing CCTV cameras at the main gates and surrounding areas of police offices for surveillance; maintaining records of service seekers and preventing middlemen’s access; restricting unnecessary crowding and unauthorized entry in offices handling legal cases. Additionally, the circular calls for a complete ban on non-legal panchayat systems resolving disputes, especially in the Terai-Madhesh region; identification, arrest, and prosecution of middlemen or individuals causing inconvenience in other direct service offices in accordance with the law. “The circular emphasizes providing impartial, transparent, and complaint-free service in accordance with legal methods and procedures,” stated police spokesperson Kafle.