- Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Kathmandu, March 16: The Supreme Court is set to hear the writ petition against the decision to withdraw the money laundering and organized crime cases against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane on Tuesday, after it was not able to hear it today.
The hearing began on Sunday before a division bench of Justices Saranga Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel. Since the hearing could not be completed today, the hearing will be held on Tuesday, shared Supreme Court spokesperson Arjun Prasad Koirala.
Earlier, a division bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Shrikant Poudel had ordered that the petition be submitted for regular hearing.
Attorney General Sabita Bhandari Baral had decided to withdraw the money laundering and organized crime cases filed against Lamichhane during the previous government. Advocate Yubaraj Poudel, senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi, and advocate Abhas Regmi had filed separate writ petitions in the Supreme Court against the decision.
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23- Documentary ‘The Everest Dream’ to be screened at NIFF
Kathmandu, March 16: A new documentary ‘The Everest Dream’ based on the inspiring journey to Mt Everest by people with traumatic brain injury from Scotland is being screened at the Nepal International Film Festival (NIFF) 2026. The NIFF is being held in the federal capital from coming April 2-6.
The documentary directed by Ganesh Pandey will be screened at the Festival on April 5. The documentary will also be screened at various international film festivals around the world.
According to director Pandey, the documentary was prepared after about one and a half years of hard work and contains the story of extraordinary dreams seen by some people who are struggling with life after a serious accident. Earlier, his documentary on earthquakes, ‘Bhagyale Banchekaharu’, had won various international awards.
Director Pandey’s documentary on polyandry, ‘Co-Husband’, won various film awards and was screened at more than 40 film festivals around the world.
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24- Justice delivery and legal defense are progressing effectively: Chief Minister Acharya
Lumbini, March 16: Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Chet Narayan Acharya, has asserted that the provincial government is successfully executing its responsibilities in justice delivery and legal defense.
During an interaction held today in Rapti Valley (Deukhuri) to mark the 9th Establishment Day of the Office of the Attorney General of Lumbini Province, he noted that the Office of the Attorney General, serving as the primary legal advisor to the provincial government, has been enhancing the effectiveness of justice delivery and legal defense for the provincial government.
Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Kapri emphasized the need to bolster the government’s defense further. He highlighted the importance of collaboration among all agencies to share experiences and improve the effectiveness of defense concerning challenges that arise during the law-making and implementation.
Chief Attorney Yamlal Khanal remarked that effective coordination with the ministries and agencies of the provincial government would significantly strengthen case defense.
Data on the status of case defense indicates that, from the fiscal year 2075/76 to the end of Falgun (Mid-March) of the current fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26), a considerable number of cases have already been resolved. In the current fiscal year alone, out of 147 cases, 51 have been disposed of, while 96 remain pending.
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25- Contractors call for ‘Construction Holiday’
Kathmandu, March 16: The Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal has urged the government to declare a ‘Construction Holiday’ until prices of construction materials stabilize. The Federation has made this demand while pointing out to the price hike in diesel, petrol, kerosene and other fuels used extensively in the construction industry, owing to the ongoing war in the Middle East and West Asia.
A statement issued today by the Federation’s General Secretary Roshan Dahal the price hike in fuel and other materials during the busy construction season will definitely put a huge financial burden on contractors and increase infrastructure costs, which will also add to the financial burden on the public bodies of the Nepal government. Hence, the Federation will be forced to suspend the construction work of all projects until the price hike stabilizes.
In addition to the huge price increase in fuel materials, the Federation claims that a limited number of importers have been resorting to carteling, using the opportunity of the recent elections to create an artificial shortage of bitumen used in road construction. The price has increased by up to Rs 40 per liter compared to the price at the time of ‘booking’.
Furthermore, the country’s construction industry has been further affected by the recent ban on the export of bitumen by India. The prices of steel rods and cement have also increased and the construction industry, which is already in dire straits due to lack of payment, has suffered further, adds the statement.
In addition, the Federation has demanded that the concerned government authorities make arrangements for price adjustments in accordance with the price hike in each project as per the Public Procurement Act and regulations.
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26- Two arrested on charge of illegal foreign money transaction transfer with Rs 1.6 million
Kathmandu, March 16: The Nepal Police have arrested two persons allegedly involved in illegal foreign currency transfer along with Rs 1.16 million in cash.
A team from the District Police Range, Kathmandu nabbed Sagar Giri and Pramod Prasad Dhital, residents of Nagarjun Municipality-8, Bhimdunga, Kathmandu, along with illegal money, and made them public today.
Spokesperson at the District Police Range, Deputy Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, informed that both were arrested acting on a tip-off that they were involved in transactions with digital currency.
Among the items recovered from the arrestees were three checkbooks, checks worth Rs 2.73 issued in the names of various people, four ATMs from different banks, one citizenship certificate, two four-wheeled vehicles, one two-wheeled vehicle, and three vehicle registration books.
Additionally, six mobile phones from various companies, 31 SIM cards from Ncell and NTC, and one computer were recovered.
Spokesperson Bhattarai informed that both arrested individuals are under investigation after the Kathmandu District Court extended their detention by five days.
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28- Details of committee elected from NC special general convention updated as per constitution and laws: EC
Kathmandu, March 16: The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that updating of details of the office-bearers and members of the Central Committee elected from the special general convention of the Nepali Congress in the Commission’s records was carried out in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Nepal.
In a press release issued today by the Commission’s Undersecretary and Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, it was stated the Commission paid attention to the media contents that misinterpreted the decision taken according to the Political Parties Act, 2073, the relevant party’s statute, and other prevailing laws.
As per the right of the dissatisfied party to seek legal remedy, a writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, the Commission stated, adding that the apex court has accepted it and will examine the Commission’s decision to that end.
The Commission has drawn the attention of the concerned parties not to make baseless comments through public media, disregarding the principles of law, legal provisions, and human dignity, in decisions made by the constitutional body and matters under consideration in court.
The Commission has also requested all stakeholders not to trust fabricated and baseless matters related to the Commission’s work and actions, given its compliance with the law.
The press release mentions that the Commission’s attention was seriously drawn to comments made linking the Commission and the Officiating Chief Election Commissioner by a responsible person from a political party during the ‘Sarokaar’ programme broadcast on Kantipur Television on Sunday.
Since the Commission always has complete faith in the rule of law, every action it undertakes is carried out in accordance with the Constitution of Nepal and prevailing laws, ensuring clarity.
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29- EC discloses names of MPs elected through PR system
Kathmandu, March 16: The Election Commission (EC) has disclosed a list of 110 Members of Parliament (MP) who have been elected in accordance with the law under the proportional representation electoral system, following the designated ‘cluster’.
The published list reveals that 57 MPs were elected from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) under this system.
Additionally, 20 MPs were elected from the Nepali Congress (NC), 16 from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), nine from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), and four each from the Shram Sanskriti Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).
It was shared in a statement issued today by Krishna Bahadur Raut, Commission’s Secretary and Returning Officer for Proportional Representation system.
In the election held on March 5, a total of 11,280,617 votes were cast for proportional representation with 10,835,025 deemed valid.
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30- Heads of financial sector regulatory bodies call on Finance Minister Khanal
Kathmandu, March 16: The heads of the banks and financial institutions (BFIs) regulatory bodies called on Minister for Finance, Rameshore Khanal, today.
Present in the meeting held at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Singha Durbar were Minister Khanal and Dr. Bishwo Nath Paudel, Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, Chandrakala Paudel, Chairperson of the Nepal Insurance Authority and Santosh Narayan Shrestha, Chairperson of the Securities Board of Nepal, according to Tanka Prasad Pandey, Spokesperson at the MoF.
During the meeting, Minister Khanal thanked the BFIs regulatory bodies for their crucial role in maintaining macroeconomic stability, creating a favorable environment for investment and making capital market more transparent and investment-friendly during his tenure as the Finance Minister.
Minister Khanal also extended his gratitude to these bodies for their role in ensuring good economic governance, informed Spokesperson Pandey.
On the occasion, the heads of the regulatory bodies remarked that their cooperation with the Finance Minister had been productive.
They also expressed appreciation for the policies and guidance adopted by the MoF to strengthen Nepal’s BFIs and maintain financial discipline so as to improve overall economic system.
Participants of the meeting exchanged views on wide range of economic issues such as ensuring stability in BFIs, maintaining economic governance, boosting investment, enhancing transparency in the financial sector and further developing capital market among others.
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31- Over 6,000 cylinders found concealed in Shriram Gas Industry warehouse
Kathmandu, March 16: The Department of Commerce, Supplies, and Consumer Protection has confiscated 6,377 cooking gas cylinders that were improperly stored in the Lalitpur Harisiddhi-based warehouse of Shriram Gas Industry.
The department’s monitoring team seized the huge quantity of filled gas cylinders, each with 14.2-kilogram gas, to check artificial gas shortage.
The industry has been fined Rs 300,000 by the Department. It has been instructed that arrangements be made for the sale and distribution of these gas cylinders under the coordination and supervision of the Nepal Oil Corporation.
The department has urged for facilitation of the distribution system to avoid creating artificial shortages that could impact supply.
The Corporation has indicated that concerns over potential disruptions in gas supply due to tensions in West Asia have led consumers to hoard more gas, resulting in complications in supply chain.
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32- PM Karki urges NRNs to contribute to Nepal’s development
Kathmandu, March 16: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has called upon Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) to leverage the knowledge, skills, experience and capital they have gained abroad for the development of their motherland.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the 12th general convention and global conference of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) here on Monday, PM Karki urged active participation of the NRNs for the country’s development and prosperity.
The PM asserted that attracting foreign investment into productive sectors and mobilizing the capital of NRNs in a safe and transparent manner remains the top priority for the government.
Karki added that the government aims to create long-term investment structures to support sustainable economic growth.
Highlighting the global presence of Nepalis, she described them as goodwill ambassadors of Nepal and acknowledged their contributions to nation-building.
Hailing the unity forged within the association after the recent internal divisions, the Head of the Government noted that restoration of unity in a single platform is a positive development.
She was of the view that shared sentiments among the Nepalis across the globe would grow stronger through unity and cooperation.
The PM took the event as an opportunity to mention that the Constitution of Nepal grants NRNs a citizenship identity card that includes economic, social and cultural rights which, she opined, had further strengthened relationship between Nepali Diaspora and their motherland.
Congratulating the newly elected leadership of the Association including its new President Dr Hemraj Sharma, the PM wished them a successful tenure.
She viewed that the NRNs contribute greatly not only to the economy but also to building social capital.
The PM called for cooperation, investment, knowledge and innovation from Nepalis at home and abroad to transform Nepal into a prosperous nation of opportunity.
The septuagenarian leader also expressed her confidence that the unity and commitment demonstrated in the conference would provide an impetus for country’s development and prosperity.
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33- Health insurance services based on national ID card
Kathmandu, March 16: Health insurance services are to be provided based on the national identity card from now onward.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, Executive Director of the Health Insurance Board, and Namraj Ghimire, Director General of the Department of National ID and Civil Registration, on providing health insurance services based on the national identity card.
Bikesha Malla, Information Officer at the Board, said citizens’ identities will be digitally verified through the national identity card number, making the health insurance system safer, faster, and more reliable.
“As per the current agreement, we will integrate the data of the Board and the Department,” he said, adding “We will provide health insurance services based on the national identity card.”
He also mentioned that registration and renewal based on the national identity card will begin from coming April 8.
Currently, 10.2 million insured individuals are affiliated with the Health Insurance Board.
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34- UML respects election results: General Secretary Pokhrel
Kathmandu, March 16: General Secretary of the CPN (UML), Shankar Pokhrel, said that the UML will respect the election results as per the people’s mandate.
In a ‘virtual’ meeting held today with provincial and district leaders at the central office in Chyasal, Lalitpur, he noted that the general voters have not severed ties with the UML.
He emphasized that Chairman KP Sharma Oli was wrongly portrayed by promoting the slogan of ‘new versus old’ which created false image against leaders and party.
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35- 12th NRNA global conference issues 12-point declaration emphasizing investment, migrant workers’ protection and organizational unity
Kathmandu, March 16: The 12th global conference and grand international unity convention of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) concluded in Kathmandu on Monday issuing a 12-point declaration.
The declaration highlights key commitments related to promotion of investment, protection of welfare of Nepali migrant workers, bolstering engagement among Nepali Diaspora and fostering organizational unity among others.
The declaration called on the government of Nepal to introduce legal and policy reforms to create a more favorable environment for investment by the Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs).
Participants of the conference underscored the need to encourage and attract Nepali Diaspora’s investment in sectors such as job creation, entrepreneurship and infrastructure development.
The conference also proposed establishing a dedicated body to manage investments made by the NRNs and urged the government to amend relevant laws and regulations to simplify procedures for opening bank accounts and repatriating investment returns for NRNs.
Participants of the three-day event expressed concern about evolving situation in the Middle East and underscored urgency for stronger coordination among NRNs, the government of Nepal and international agencies to ensure rescue, relief and rehabilitation of Nepalis facing crises abroad.
The conference further pledged to coordinate efforts with concerned countries, international organizations and the governments of Nepal to ensure safety, rights and dignified employment of Nepali migrant workers around the world and improve their working conditions.
Another key point in the declaration focused on engaging the second generation of the Nepali Diaspora.
The conference highlighted the initiative to connect second generation of Nepalis youth born abroad with Nepali language, culture and history through education and cultural programs and digital platforms.
The NRNA also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting Nepali Diaspora’s investment in sectors such as hydropower, agriculture, tourism, information technology and innovative industries while cooperating with the Nepal government to create an investment-friendly environment.
The declaration reaffirmed a collective commitment of the NRNs to leverage the knowledge, experience and capital of Nepalis around the world to help build a prosperous, inclusive and self-reliant Nepal.
The declaration also pointed out the collective commitment of the NRNs to work collectively for Nepal’s prosperity and development while protecting the rights and interests of Nepalis living abroad.
According to the organizers, a total of 4,286 representatives participated in the conference held from March 14 to 16.
More than 400 delegates attended in person in Kathmandu while the remaining participants joined the event virtually.
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36- Khil Raj Regmi pays tribute to UML Chair Oli’s father
Kathmandu, March 16: Khil Raj Regmi, the former Chairman of the Council of Ministers, visited the residence of former Prime Minister and CPN (UML) Chairman, KP Sharma Oli, to express condolences.
Today, he paid tribute to Chairman Oli’s father Mohan Prasad Oli and shared his sincere condolences to the grieving family members.
Chairman Oli’s father, Mohan Prasad Oli had breathed his last on Friday at the age of 97 in Bhaktapur.
Former Chairman Regmi also conveyed his wishes for the family to find the strength to endure this difficult period and offered prayers for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
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