Social media owners given 7-day ultimatum for registration

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 28: The government has decided to deactivate all social media operating within the country if they don’t comply with the legal notice and called for formal registration or enlistment within the given deadline.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on August 25 took decision as per the proposal tabled at the  meeting by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT). 

Speaking at a press conference, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithivi Subba Gurung, on Wednesday, said the government has given a seven-day ultimatum to the owners or operators of social media for registration and enlistment at the Ministry from the date of the Cabinet decision. 

“If the social media operators don’t comply with the decisions, the government will have to deactivate all such social media platforms, and the decision to deactivate will be implemented by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA),” said Minister Gurung. 

According to Minister Gurung, the decision was taken in accordance with the Directive-2080 B.S. on Regulating the Use of Social Media and the Supreme Court order.

Minister Gurung said that it has been decided to provide prior approval to conduct a survey on the organisation and management of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and its subordinate bodies.

Similarly, the Cabinet meeting has also decided to transfer four major generals of the Nepali Army, promote one brigadier general to the rank of major general, promote one colonel to the rank of brigadier general, and accept the resignation of one colonel.

Apart from this, the government has taken decisions covering various issues such as the development of industrial infrastructure, diplomatic visits, administrative reforms, and environmental protection.

On the proposal of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the Cabinet meeting decided to designate 20 industrial villages, industrial zones, special economic zones, dry ports, petroleum pipelines, and cable car projects operated by the private sector as national priority projects. 

Notification in this regard will be published in the Nepal Gazette. This decision is expected to accelerate the country's industrial development and infrastructure expansion, according to the government.

The meeting has decided to promote Indra Prasad Acharya to the vacant post of Deputy Auditor General of the Special Category gazetted towards the consolidation of the Nepal Audit Service. 

Similarly, it has been decided to accept the resignation submitted by Bharatmani Subedi, Secretary of the National Natural Resources and Finance Commission.