<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Election Commission has decided to hold election to Provincial and House of Representatives in two phases.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Issuing press release after the meeting today, Election Commission planed to conduct the elections of 32 districts in the first phase on November 26 and of 45 districts in the second phase on December 7, 2017.</p><p>Based on the geographical difficulty, the meeting of the commission today decided to hold polls in the mountainous and high hilly districts in the first phase and in hilly and Terai districts in the second phase.</p><p><br></p><p><b>Election Commission</b></p><p>The Election Commission today has given a seven point directives to the Government, Prime Minister and the Office of Ministers to conduct upcoming Provincial and House of Representatives election fairly implementing the election code of conduct.</p><p>The meeting held at the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Ayodhi Prasad Yadav today directed the Government not to do any transfers and political appointments of the officials working at the institutions under the Government, public trusts and the government trusts from where the budget might be allocated for the election.</p><p>According to spokesperson of the commission Nawaraj Dhakal, the commission has also directed the government to ask for permission with the Election Commission to attend any programs as country representatives other than UN, SAARC and other International and Regional meetings.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the four-lane bridge to be constructed over the Mahakali River will bring change not only in the far west but to the entire nation.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Laying foundation stone to the four-lane bridge over the River today, PM Deuba further said efforts will be made to construct a dry port in the Chandani Dodhara. He further said the foundation stone to the Pancheshwor Project will be laid soon.</p><p><br></p><p>Earlier today,&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to media persons briefly today at Dhangadhi Airport, Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said the elections to Provincial Assembly and House of Representatives &nbsp;will be held in time.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>On a different note, he further said dialogues are on the matter of forging an alliance &nbsp;between the NC and other political party (ies) in the third phase of local level elections taking place in the Province no. 2 on coming September 18. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>PM Deuba also expressed his confidence that the agreements made with India for the construction of Pancheshwor Project and Dry Port as well as upgradation of Gaurifanta Check Point will be implemented.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Nepal Telecom has brought a special SIM offer (free of cost) for the people of flood-hit 23 districts. The GSM prepaid SIM cards are being distributed to them, with each having a talk value of Rs 50.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>
According to NT Spokesperson Prativa Baidya, the company decided to offer this service to the flood victims as part of its institutional and social responsibilities. The offer will remain into effect till September 11.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that business of the country should be expanded through the Belt and Road Initiative initiated by China.</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Inaugurating the Nepal Chinese Guide Association (NEGA) today, Foreign Minister Mahara said Lumbini could be important destination in development of friendly relation between Nepalese and Chinese.</p><p><br></p><p>Similarly, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Wu Hong, said that Chinese government has put the development of tourism sector of Nepal on high priority.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The government is not implementing its decision shortly to hike electricity tariff for industries. &nbsp;</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>Energy Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, during his meeting with officials of the Confederation of Nepali Industries (CNI) at his office today, assured them that electricity tariff for the industrial sector won't be increased immediately.</p><p>He took the time to insist on the acceleration of power production, urging the private sector to invest in hydropower sector and cooperate with the government in its activities. &nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Earlier, the Nepal Electricity Authority has proposed the government for increasing electricity charge by 66 per cent for the industrial sector. &nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The major ruling party Nepali Congress (NC) has finalised the names of its candidates (for all posts) for the third phase of local level elections taking place at 136 levels of eight districts of the Province no. 2.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>However, the final name list of candidates will be unveiled only tomorrow, said party office's chief secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The party has constituted the election publicity committees and communications centers in all eight districts, Paudel said.</p><p><br></p><p>The Election Commission has fixed 3,578 polling centers for the third phase of elections taking place on coming September 18. &nbsp; &nbsp;The EC has said that over 31 thousand human resources including employees and volunteers will be mobilised to the conduct the elections. &nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The West Bengal Travel &amp; Tourism Fair is taking place in Soaltee Hotel in the capital from September 2 to 4.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The fair will be jointly organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Kathmandu- based Indian Embassy and West Bengal Industry and Commerce Association. &nbsp;</span><br></p><p><br></p><p>According to the Indian Embassy, the fair is being organized on the occasion of the establishment of 70 years of Indo-Nepal bilateral ties.</p><p><br></p><p>The charge de affairs of Indian Embassy, Dr Avay Kumar, in a press meet today shared that the fair is taking place with a view to expanding bilateral trade and economic relations and strengthening religious, tourism and cultural ties between the two countries.&nbsp;</p>