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Twenty-nine polling stations, out of 43, in the Chitwan electoral constituency have been assessed as 'highly sensitive' in view of the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) by-election. The by-polls are being held in three constituencies including Bara-2 and Tanahun-1 on April 23. According to Chitwan Chief District Officer Surendra Poudel, polling stations here have been categorized as normal, sensitive and highly sensitive. Despite the categorization, all polling stations are equally significant and the district administration is preparing to beef up security targeting them. The by-polls are obviously the concerns of political parties, civil society, people and the security mechanism, it is said. The decision about the mobilization of Nepali Army during the election will be taken by the government and at the moment, the Chitwan District Administration is busy working on the election security plan with the mobilizations of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the National Investigation Department. The security arrangements will be made in such a way so that each citizen and a voter could feel safe during the election time. Security forces shall reach the entire polling stations by April 20. There are 124,695 voters in the Chitwan-2 for the April 23 by-elections and the voting will take place in 138 polling centers under 43 polling stations. By-election is required here after the Supreme Court decided to annul the HoR membership of Rabi Lamichhane, the President of Rastriya Swatantra Party who was elected here this constituency in the November-20 election, over his citizenship issue. A total of 22 candidates including Jeet Narayan Shrestha of Nepali Congress (ruling alliance), CPN-UML's Ram Prasad Neupane and RSP Chair Lamichhane will be competing for the HoR seat from here.  

One hundred and sixteen examinees were arrested, who were attending the Secondary Education Examinations in various exam centers in Morang in the name of others, on Thursday. The SEE monitoring team caught them as they were appearing for the exam in place of the real candidates. According to the District Police Office Morang, a number of SEE examinees were arrested from Kerabari, Gramthan and Haraincha-based centers. As Superintendent of Police Deepak Pokhrel said, the highest 52 fake examinees were held from the Saraswoti Secondary School, Gramthan followed by 44 from the Sarbajanik Secondary School, Kerabari and 20 from the Janata Secondary School, Sundar Haraicha.  The arrested are under interrogation, it is said.  

The Department of National ID and Civil Registration has added a new provision for issuing a birth certificate to a child with the surname under the maternal lineage. The provision has been added targeting children born to a single mother and whose paternal lineage remains unidentified. Department Director General Rudra Prasad Pandit said the provision was added following the request from local levels for further clarifying provisions for the birth registration of such children. However, the Department mandates the cancellation of the birth registration issued under this category if the identity of the child's father is ascertained and the issuance of a new certificate along with the address of the father.  

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha. In the meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs today, the two discussed various matters relating to Nepal-US bilateral relations and the exchange of cooperation, according to Kamal Giri, press coordinator of DPM Shrestha. On the occasion, the Minister said that the incumbent government has focused on completing the remaining task of the peace process as per the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Accord, and sought support from Nepal's friendly international donors towards this. Shrestha informed the US envoy Thompson that the related Bill was already presented in the parliament to ensure transitional justice. Ambassador Thompson said that the US wanted to see completion of the remaining task of the peace process in Nepal and pledged to take the lead to facilitate with diplomatic stakeholders for the same. To the concern expressed by the American envoy on the prospects of political instability affecting the development works, DPM Shrestha assured that it would not affect the development endeavors, stating that Nepal was still in the process of institutionalizing the federal democratic republic system. Furthermore, Thompson said that the US government would provide full support in strengthening democracy in Nepal. Since the Peace Corps' works were affected after COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador Thompson requested with DPM Shrestha on easing off the issuance of visa for Peace Corp volunteers to which the latter committed to facilitate the matter in coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thompson also expressed concerns surrounding American investment in Nepal and security of the American working in Nepal to which DPM Shrestha assured of full security for that.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected a 4.1 percent economic growth rate in Nepal in 2023 while inflation is forecast to be at 7.4 percent. According to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2023, Nepal's economic growth rate is projected to decelerate in 2023 as compared to last year due to under tight monetary policy, slackened domestic demand, the unwinding of pandemic stimulus, and persistent global headwinds. GDP growth is expected to pick up to 5.0% in 2024, however, with the dissipation of inflation, increased infrastructure spending, and further recovery in tourism and related services. The successful conclusion of the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Credit Facility reviews on 28 February 2023 showed Nepal’s economy on a sustainable path, with fiscal risks mitigated, external risks largely contained, and sustainable debt management ensured. The report says average inflation accelerated to 8.0% in the first 6 months of 2023. Food inflation edges up to 5.6% and non-food inflation climbed to 8.6% as prices rose for housing, utilities, and transportation. Inflation is expected to moderate to an average of 7.4% in 2023 as tighter monetary and fiscal policies take further hold in the second half of the fiscal year. Inflation is expected to decelerate to 6.2% in 2024, assuming a normal harvest, subdued oil prices, and a decline in Indian inflation. The report assesses the main downside risk to the outlook is a global downturn hitting Nepal’s tourism and remittance receipts. A drastic tightening of global financial conditions to tame rising inflation would require tighter domestic monetary policy, which would erode investment and domestic consumption, dragging down growth. Intensified geopolitical turmoil and any natural hazards such as landslides or floods would further dampen growth prospects. Similarly, as per the ADB, growth in all production sectors in Nepal is forecast to moderate in 2023. Agriculture growth will likely ease from 2.3% in 2022 to 2.0% in 2023. Preliminary estimates show that rice output increased by about 7.0%, but winter rainfall has been scanty, likely affecting winter crop yield and overall agriculture output. Despite a boost to industry expected with 700 megawatts of hydroelectricity added to the national grid, sector growth will likely decelerate by half from 10.2% to 5.1% as manufacturing and construction are hit by higher interest rates, import restrictions, a slowdown in domestic consumption, and dampened external demand. Growth in services will moderate from 5.9% to 4.4% after credit controls and a hike in interest rates slow real estate, wholesale, and retail trade. While tourism growth has been strong, international tourist arrivals are still only half of their pre-pandemic numbers, according to the report.  

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has unveiled the Cryptocurrency Risk Assessment Report today. In the report, the country's central bank has concluded that cryptocurrency cannot be brought into use as transaction in it would be financially risky. Cryptocurrency transactions are banned by the existing laws of Nepal. "It entails risks as investment in cryptocurrency results in capital flight since the investment is in foreign land, it might have adverse impact on remittance flow and create challenges in managing the foreign exchange reserves," reads the Report. It states that prohibition on cryptocurrency is necessary as it has risks including destabilizing the overall economic balance, risk on financial stability, risk in terms of implementing the monetary policy and risks of fraud and tax evasion, among others. NRB stated that transactions in cryptocurrency brought risk not only to the country but also various risks to people involved in such transactions. The Central Bank has imposed a ban on cryptocurrency as per the provision of Clause 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Regulation) Act, 2019 BS. People supporting cryptocurrency take it as a form of currency. However, there is no sovereign nation issuing cryptocurrency as in the current monetary system. NRB stated in the Report that there are around 23 thousand cryptocurrencies in use in the world at present and Bitcoin alone occupies 42 percent of its total market. It is also stated that there are about 450 cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. The Central Bank has been issuing public notice from time-to-time warning that transaction in cryptocurrency is illegal. "There is no guarantee or surety of any country or government in cryptocurrency, there is no any security and financial intermediary, and it has no other use except for the purpose of bookmaking. This virtual thing is not widely accepted but is issued and used by certain groups for their vested interest," read the Report. NRB has described cryptocurrency as a digital matter that can be transacted as a currency issued by the private sector. Its transaction is illegal in various countries including in Nepal. This virtual currency is issued for carrying out works related to payments without any financial intermediary (central bank or monetary authority issuing currency). Users connected to the network have themselves maintained accounts of the receipt and expenditure of cryptocurrency for carrying out its transaction. In the existing system, the central banks or financial institutions have been conducting this job. People carrying out transactions in cryptocurrency use 'blockchain' or 'distributed ledger' technology for bookkeeping. Cryptocurrency is mainly obtained through mining and purchasing.

Dr Bijay Raj Neupane has been appointed the Chair of the Board of Directors at the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Chitwan. A meeting of the Council of Ministers decided to appoint him to the post. Prior to this, he was the deputy director of the Hospital. Newly appointed Chair Neupane said he is committed to ensuring quality service and promoting the Hospital as a research hub for cancer across the country.  

The Election Commission has called for the application from the national organizations for the observation of the by-election to the member of the House of Representatives scheduled for April 23. Issuing a notice today, the EC called for the application along with necessary documents from the national organizations wishing to observe the by-election. The EC as per Schedule-2 of the Election Observation Directives-2079 urged the national organizations to submit the application within seven days. Candidates are filing their nomination for the by-election today. The by-election is taking place at Chitwan-2, Bara-2 and Tanahun-1.