<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The Supreme Court has refused to issue an interim order in response to a writ filed at the court, demanding the printing of separate ballot papers for the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>A division bench comprising judges Deepak Raj Joshi and Purushottam Bhandari yesterday &nbsp;refused to entertain the writ, citing the printing of ballot papers towards the proportional representation (PR) for the first-phase election has already commenced and it holds no meaning to issue the order at this time juncture.&nbsp;</p><p>The court cites in the verdict "twin elections have been scheduled for November 26 and December 7 in two phases and the printing of PR ballots started on October 3"</p><p>Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) vice chair and parliamentary party leader Sarbendranath Shukla on October 8 moved the apex court, challenging the EC decision to use the same ballot paper towards PR electoral system in both elections.&nbsp;</p><p>Likewise, the order states that there is no rationale of speaking about the stay order in response to the application that has been registered when the printing of the ballot papers towards the proportional election system have already been started as per the schedule of the Election Commission .</p><p>In the hearings on the writ held on October 10, the Supreme Court had issued a show-cause notice in the name of the defendants and called both sides to a discussion on October 17.&nbsp;</p><p>………….</p><p>Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Ayodhi Prasad Yadav has urged voters to be assured on the &nbsp;timely holding of the upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p><p>Speaking at a press meet organized by the Election Commission yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Yadav said that Election Commissions expects help from all quarters for holding the elections in a free, fair, and fareless manner.&nbsp;</p><p>Saying that more than 9 million out of needed 18 million ballots for the proportional electoral system &nbsp;have already been printed till now, Dr. Yadav said printing of all ballots will be completed by Oct 24th. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p><b>RPP in government for ensuring election: DPM Thapa</b></p><p>Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Kamal Thapa said that his &nbsp;Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) joined the government for ensuring the election.&nbsp;</p><p>Taking charge of his office at the Ministry of Energy yesterday, Thapa, said his party became the part of the government led by CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal before this, for ensuring the election.&nbsp;</p><p>Stating that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, during meetings with him from time to time, assured him of holding the elections on the stipulated date, Thapa said RPP joined the government at the request of the Prime Minister himself after he got the information that conspiracies are being &nbsp;hatched to put off the election.</p><p>He said that the present action plan will continue till the elections, &nbsp;and load-shedding will not be allowed to take place in collaboration with the Nepal Electricity Authority and the ongoing power production projects would be continued.</p><p>The RPP has participated in the government for three times after the 2006 political change. He also reiterated that collaboration and unity among the democratic forces has become inevitable after the leftist alliance.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Agitating professor Dr Govinda KC broke his fast-unto-death after signing the 10-point agreement with the government yesterday evening.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>Dr KC broke the 14-day strike after the government agreed on issuing the medical education act through ordinance.&nbsp;</p><p>One of the points in the agreement mentioned that the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Ministers on 23 October will issue the medical education act through the ordinance.&nbsp;</p><p>The talks were held between the government and the representatives of agitating Dr KC. It was held among Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Education Minister, former Health Minister Gagan Kumar Thapa, Prof Kedar Bhakta Mathema and Dr Avishekh Raj Singh at the official residence of the Prime Minister, Baluwatar, on Wednesday after former Health Minister Thapa presented a proposal of bringing the Medical Act through ordinance.&nbsp;</p><p>A 10-year old girl Rojina Tamang fed water to Dr KC in the presence of Health Minister Deepak Bohara, Health Secretary Dr Kiran Regmi, Secretary at Council of Ministers Mahindra Prasad Upadhyay, Chief of the Department of Medical Service Dr Bholaram Shrestha, and senior advocate Om Prakash Sharma, among others.&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to PM Deuba over phone before signing the agreement paper, Dr KC warned of staging a hunger strike once again if the agreement was not implemented within October 24.&nbsp;</p><p>In response, PM Deuba assured Dr KC that the agreement would be implemented this time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Meeting of the National Security Council has decided to make necessary security arrangement to hold upcoming elections of House of Representatives and State Assemblies in a free and fearless manner.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>According to the Defense Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan the meeting held at the office of the Prime Minister at Singha Durbar focused on the security during the elections scheduled for November 26 and December 7.&nbsp;</p><p>He further said that the security method adopted in local-level election will be used in the upcoming elections. The meeting also discussed security situation of the country and security challenges.&nbsp;</p><p>During the meeting, PM Deuba urged head of security bodies to leave no stones unturned to provide utmost security to the voters. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Defense Minister Pradhan, chiefs of Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department took part in the meeting.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The third day of the Yamapanchak, Goddess of Wealth &nbsp;Laxmi is being worshipped with jubilation and various religious rituals throughout the country today evening in accordance with time honoured tradition.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>Laxmi Puja is being celebrated in every household today to mark the third day of the five-day Tihar festival by lighting butter lamps and candles inside and outside of the households to light up the path of Goddess Laxmi in order to welcome her.&nbsp;</p><p>All the nooks and corners of the house including the courtyard and rooms are illuminated with colourful and decorative lights this evening with the belief that Goddess Laxmi does not visit places that are not properly illuminated.</p><p>The night of Laxmi Puja is also known as 'the Night of Bliss'. Laxmi Puja is a day during which cultural programmes as 'Deusi' and 'Bhailo' are held.&nbsp;</p><p>Girls in groups visit door-to-door singing Bhailo songs. The house-owners then offer gifts of Selroti, rice grains and money to these girls.&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, 109th birth anniversary of Mahakabi Laxmi Prasad Devkota is also marked today by organizing various programs.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>One of the most celebrated poets of Nepali literature, Devkota, was born in 1966 B.S in Kathmandu on the day of Laxmi puja, hence the name Laxmi. Devkota' adhered to the romantic movement and his poems are well known for their progressive subject matters. Apart from poems, Devkota also wrote many famous and critically-acclaimed essays, novels, short stories, and songs. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>