KATHMANDU: Khabarhub provides an in-depth weekly recap of significant events every Monday morning.

In the past week, the National Assembly (NA) conducted elections to fill 19 seats, achieving a remarkable 99 percent voter turnout, as reported by the Election Commission (EC).

EC Spokesperson Shaligram Paudel mentioned that out of 549 eligible voters from all seven Province Assemblies, 546 cast their votes, resulting in a 99.45 percent turnout.

A noteworthy shift in the political landscape of the National Assembly unfolded as the Maoist Center emerged as the leading party.

In the Thursday elections, five candidates from the Maoist Center secured victories, signifying a pivotal moment in the party’s influence.

The Nepali Congress witnessed the election of 10 representatives, with two and one from the Unified Samajwadi Party and Janata Samajwadi Party, respectively.

With a total of 15 members, including the Vice Chairperson, the Maoist Center is poised to strengthen its dominance with five additional elected members, making it the largest party in the National Assembly with a total of 17 MPs.

However, three independent people’s representatives—Balendra Shah, Harka Sampang, and Gopal Hamal—boycotted the National Assembly voting held last Thursday.

Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Paudel, last week, called for a joint session of both Houses of the Federal Parliament on February 5 at the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, in accordance with Article 93 (1) of the Constitution.

In a significant political development, the Janamat Party, led by Dr. CK Raut, withdrew from the Madhesh Province government, indicating a noteworthy shift. Two ministers from the Janamat Party submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Saroj Yadav last Tuesday.

Last week, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal returned to Nepal after representing the country at the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Uganda.

His participation in international forums, such as the NAM Summit, underscored Nepal’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and its active role in global affairs.

Prime Minister Dahal expressed optimism that the remaining tasks of the peace process would be completed through consensus.

He reiterated the commitment to advancing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission bill, currently in the parliamentary committee.

In another development, former Civil Savings and Credit Cooperatives Chairman Ichchharaj Tamang was found guilty in a money laundering case.

The High Court Patan issued a stay order over the appointment of Laxmi Pun as the Executive Director of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), citing discrepancies in academic qualifications and job experiences.

The National Examination Board (NEB) announced that this year’s Secondary Education Examination (SEE) would take place from March 28 to April 9, 2024, after the conclusion of the Holi festival.

A clash erupted in Rajbiraj last Monday between Janamat party activists and police, resulting in injuries to Mahesh Prasad Yadav, the Minister for Education and Culture of Madhes province, along with three lawmakers.

The incident occurred during the inauguration program of the Province Agriculture University.

In Kathmandu, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) implemented a ban on parking along the black-topped roads in the New Road area, sparking protests from local beneficiaries and traders.

The Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport prevented 84 individuals from boarding flights to various countries last week, citing incomplete visa processes.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) took Sunil Paudel, the former managing director of Nepal Telecom, and Bikal Paudel, the former executive director of the Security Printing Center, into custody on charges of corruption.

The Shree Swasthani Bratakatha, a popular month-long ritual of fasting and recitation of Swasthani script, began last week.

Chinese Vice Minister Sun Haiyan, representing the International Department of the Communist Party of China, arrived in Nepal.