PM Dahal to sit with Deuba and Oli today to finalise draft

Constitution amendment

Nov 13, 2016- Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal will register a constitution amendment proposal in Parliament after discussing the final draft with the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leadership, according to PM Dahal’s Press Adviser Govinda Acharya.

PM Dahal on Friday told mediapersons that the government would table the amendment proposal “within four days”. PM Dahal, NC chief Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML Chair KP Sharma Oli are expected to hold separate meetings on Sunday, said Acharya. “After holding separate talks, the top leaders will sit together to finalise the draft,” he added.

The delay in registering the amendment proposal has irked the agitating Madhes-based parties, which have even warned of withdrawing their support to the government and launching fresh protests, prompting PM Dahal to explore different options.

For PM Dahal to make his next move, the UML, which has so far maintained a rigid stance on constitution amendment, has to come on board the process. In recent days, Dahal has been claiming that he “will come up with such a proposal that even the UML cannot reject it”.

But Acharya said the UML has maintained such a rigid position that it seems reluctant to accept an earlier proposal on which it had agreed.

Asked whether the proposal will have provision[s] allowing naturalised citizens to hold constitutional positions other than President, prime minister, chief justice and chiefs of the security bodies, Acharya claimed that the issue of naturalised citizens holding constitutional positions was neither the agenda of the Madhesi forces nor the Maoist Centre.

During a meeting between Dahal and Deuba at Baluwatar on Saturday morning, the duo discussed ways to resolve the row over provincial boundaries.

Since the UML has expressed strong objection to the demand of the Madhes-based parties on redrawing of provincial boundaries, PM Dahal is likely to come up with his own proposal that he had prepared before the promulgation of the constitution. 

20 most popular news portals of Nepal

As the world is increasingly relying on internet for its dose of news and information, online news sites are slowly but steadily snatching the share of readership from traditional media sources like newspapers and magazines. Nepal already has a abundance of online news sites. But what are the most popular ones and what does the overall scenario tell us?

Here are the top 20 most popular news portals of Nepal (based on Alexa.com's rankings):

1. Online Khabar 
Rank among Nepali Websites: 7
Overall Rank in Alexa: 9357



 2.Ekantipur
Rank among Nepali Websites: 10
Overall Rank in Alexa: 8338

3. Nagarik News
Rank among Nepali Websites: 13
Overall Rank in Alexa: 12,886


4. Seto Pati
Rank among Nepali Websites: 22
Overall Rank in Alexa: 170,573



5. The Himalayan Times
Rank among Nepali Websites: 25
Overall Rank in Alexa: 39,546

6. Ujyaalo Online
Rank among Nepali Websites: 35
Overall Rank in Alexa: 67,500

7. MyRepublica
Rank among Nepali Websites: 36
Overall Rank in Alexa: 58,551

 8. Hamra Kura
Rank among Nepali Websites: 42
Overall Rank in Alexa: 113, 545



9. Nepalnews
Rank among Nepali Websites: 76
Overall Rank in Alexa: 68,230

10. Nepali Headlines
Rank among Nepali Websites: 81
Overall Rank in Alexa:101,430


11. Weekly Nepal
Rank among Nepali Websites: 112
Overall Rank in Alexa: 300,913

12. Khabar Chautari
Rank among Nepali Websites: 114
Overall Rank in Alexa: 113,473

13. Top Nepal News
Rank among Nepali Websites: 162
Overall Rank in Alexa: 314,978

14. Karobar National Economic Daily
Rank among Nepali Websites: 165
Overall Rank in Alexa: 193,739

15. Real Khabar
Rank among Nepali Websites: 167
Overall Rank in Alexa: 224,625

16. Sourya Daily
Rank among Nepali Websites: 168
Overall Rank in Alexa: 243,117

17. Rajdhani Daily
Rank among Nepali Websites: 182
Overall Rank in Alexa: 531,724

18. Tokyo Nepal
Rank among Nepali Websites:191
Overall Rank in Alexa:151,515

19. Nepal Samachar
Rank among Nepali Websites: 205
Overall Rank in Alexa:105,460

20. Gorkhapatra
Rank among Nepali Websites: 213
Overall Rank in Alexa:350,903

Some Key findings:

• News sites make up around 10 percent of the 100 most popular websites of Nepal.
• Ekantipur.com is the most popular Nepali website in the world whereas Onlinekhabar.com is the most popular Nepali website within Nepal.
• 11 out of the top 20 news portals have only online versions which suggests a growing popularity and importance of online based news mediums. It also suggests that traditional media houses of Nepal have areas to improve their online presence.
• Among the diaspora community of Nepalese, communities in South Korea are the most active community with regards to their presence in online media followed by that in Japan.
• Setopati.com is the most rapidly growing news portal of Nepal currently.

Do you think online media will replace traditional media in Nepal? Do share your views in the comments below!