India, Nepal to discuss projects amid tensions
nNEW DELHI: An India-nepal body overseeing the implementation of development projects funded by New Delhi is set to meet in Kathmandu next week, the first highlevel contact between the two sides since ties were hit by a border row that erupted last year.
The joint oversight mechanism, which was launched in 2016 and reviews progress in bilateral projects, is scheduled to hold a meeting on August 17, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.
The meeting between Indian envoy Vinay Mohan Kwatra and Nepal’s foreign secretary, Shanker Das Bairagi, who jointly chair the mechanism, is being seen by some quarters in Kathmandu as a positive development after the border row took relations to a new low. “The mechanism will only focus on the implementation of India-funded projects in Nepal. However, it could help break the logjam in relations,” said a person.
A second person described the scheduled meeting of the mechanism as “part of regular interaction between India and Nepal”.
During its seventh meeting in July last year, the mechanism reviewed the implementation of projects such as cross-border rail links, petroleum pipelines, roads, bridges, integrated border check posts, energy, irrigation, and post-earthquake reconstruction.
The border row erupted late last year after Nepal objected to the inclusion of the Kalapani region in a new map showing the union territory of Ladakh that was issued by India. The row was exacerbated in May, when India opened a new road to the Lipulekh region on the border with Tibet, as this area, too, is claimed by Nepal. Nepal responded by issuing a new map that showed Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura, which are controlled by India, as part of its territory.
nNEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday posted a petition challenging the merger of six former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislators of Rajasthan Assembly with Congress Party to August 13 after it was informed that the issue with regard to the disqualification of these six members of legislative assembly (MLAS) is pending consideration before the Rajasthan High Court.
The bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said, “As the High Court is hearing the matter today [Tuesday] and the parties have assured us that they are going to argue the matter, let the matter be argued before the High Court.” The six MLAS represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought permission of the bench to withdraw a transfer petition seeking transfer of the case before the HC to the apex court.
The order was passed in a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Madan Dilawar who challenged the September 18, 2019 merger of the six MLAS with Congress. Senior advocate Harish Salve appeared for Dilawar and told the apex court that a division bench of Rajasthan HC on August 6 fixed the matter for hearing by a single judge bench on August 11. But to scuttle this hearing, the six MLAS filed a transfer petition in the apex court for transferring his petition from the HC to the Supreme Court.
The six MLAS stated that the legal issues raised in Dilawar’s petition in the HC under examination of the top court in a 2015 appeal from a Gauhati High Court order in a case titled Mr Mithou Krose v Imtilemba Sangtam.
On Monday, the bench led by Justice Mishra ordered the transfer petition to be listed before the court.