Cabinet extends tenure of Probe Commission by one month

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 19: The government has decided to extend the tenure of the Investigation Commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki regarding latest Gen-Z Movement by one month.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday evening at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, approved the extension, citing the commission’s inability to complete key tasks, including the recording of statements and preparation of its report, within the stipulated timeframe.

Following the Gen-Z movement, the country observed nearly a month of major festivals such as Dashain, Tihar and other holidays. In addition, the police were unable to provide the required facts and data on time, while the monsoon season further hampered the commission’s work. Taking these factors into account, the Cabinet decided to grant an additional month to the commission.

Commission Chairperson Gauri Bahadur Karki and other members had met Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Wednesday to formally propose an extension of the commission’s term. The commission’s mandate was due to expire on December 24. 

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has recommended to the President the issuance of an ordinance related to elections. Speaking to journalists following the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel said, the government has decided that the Cabinet resolved to recommend to the President the promulgation of the House of Representatives Member Election (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082.

He explained that, in line with the report of the 2078 National Census, the government has recommended the amendment of Schedule-I of the House of Representatives Member Election Act, 2074 through an ordinance, in order to realign constituency representation on the basis of the population percentages of Dalits, Indigenous Nationalities, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu and Muslim communities.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved a decision to operate a block of the Central Prison constructed in Bidur Municipality of Nuwakot as a juvenile correctional home.

Government Spokesperson and Minister Kharel said the decision was taken to utilise a vacant block of the Central Prison in Bidur Municipality as a juvenile correctional facility to accommodate offenders above the age of 18 who are currently serving the remaining period of their reform programmes in various juvenile correctional homes.

In a separate decision, the government has resolved to operate one of the blocks of the Central Prison constructed in Bidur, Nuwakot, as a Juvenile Correction Home.

The decision was approved by the Cabinet following a proposal from the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

Adolescents aged above 18, who are currently residing in various juvenile correction homes and still have remaining terms, will be accommodated there. The Cabinet has decided to utilise only one vacant block of the Central Prison for the purpose.