KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The Kathmandu District Court is conducting a final hearing on the attempted rape allegation charge against former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara today.

If the hearing concludes today, the court will issue a verdict today itself, according to the court.

Mahara was arrested in October last year after a female parliament secretariat staffer registered a complaint against him accusing him of sexually assaulting her at her Tinkune-based apartment on Sept 30.

Following the allegation, Mahara resigned from his position as Speaker.

Earlier, Mahara had appealed to the Patan High Court demanding a bail challenging the district court’s decision. However, the high court upheld the Kathmandu District Court’s decision to remand him to custody saying he could not be bailed since the prima facie evidence went against Mahara.

The high court had also ordered the district court to decide the case within one month.

Although, the police had recovered insole from Mahara’s shoe and his broken glass form her apartment as evidence, the victim’s phone call to police and lawmaker Uma Regmi, and her statement to a journalist in an interview all point against Mahara, he has denied the allegations.

CHITWAN: UCPN-Maoist senior leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said the political deadlock in the country is likely to continue until the new constitution was promulgated through the CA and formation of the new government.

He also said that there was no alternative to the CA polls to end the protracted political and constitutional crises in the country.

The Maoist leader was addressing the convention of the party’s Young Communist League in Bharatupur today.

He also urged the party cadres to concentrate on election saying that the progressive forces should bag two thirds seats in the CA to ensure people’s constitution.

Inaugurating the Dhulikhel municipal conference of the party here today, Standing Committee member Mahara said the issue of whether going for election after promulgating constitution would be settled very soon.

He further said if the constitution was promulgated by restoring Constituent Assembly for some period, Nepali Congress or any other party could lead the election government. Otherwise, change in government leadership was impossible, he argued.

Similarly, leader Mahara said the President must pass the budget the government brings because the country would face crisis if the budget is not brought on time.

He accused the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and other parties of trying to restore 2047 constitution.The municipal conference would elect new leadership. RSS