Today’s national broadsheets cover a wide spectrum of critical issues, spanning judicial friction and deepening factionalism within major political parties to pressing environmental challenges and persistent border disputes. From structural water crises in Madhesh and infrastructure delays to the daily hazards faced by remote border communities, here is a curated summary of the major stories and field reports making headlines across the Nepali press.
Annapurna Post reports on a troubling breach of established protocol in the formation of the Supreme Court's Constitutional Bench following the appointment of Manoj Kumar Sharma as Chief Justice. The decision has drawn serious concern from the Nepal Bar Association, the umbrella organization of lawyers. Despite the NBA raising the issue, the apex court has not addressed their concerns—a move observers warn could further erode public trust in the judiciary. In a separate report, the daily highlights the ongoing plight of landless squatters who were forcibly evicted from their informal settlements three months ago. The government has yet to make any permanent housing or rehabilitation arrangements, leaving the displaced families in limbo.
Naya Patrika Daily focuses on the deep factionalism dividing the Koirala family, a dynasty that dominated Nepali Congress (NC) politics for more than six decades before being challenged by Sher Bahadur Deuba a decade ago. As internal rifts intensify within the party, the Koirala members find themselves split across competing camps: Sujata Koirala has aligned with the establishment faction, Shashank Koirala leads the rival camp, and Shekhar Koirala maintains a neutral stance while pressing for party unification.
An analytical story in Nagarik Daily details how internal discord is gripping both legacy and emerging political forces across the country. According to the report, widening factional fissures are troubling the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Communist Party of Nepal, and the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The newspaper also highlights the sluggish implementation of the Lumbini Master Plan, expressing concern over protracted delays in developing the international Buddhist heritage site.
State-owned Gorkhapatra published an investigative report on the severe water crisis in Madhesh, emphasizing that it is not merely a seasonal hardship but a long-term structural crisis. Driven by climate change, excessive groundwater extraction, poor management, and the ecological degradation of the Chure–Bhabar region, the report stresses the urgent need for systematic groundwater recharge, Chure conservation, climate-resilient allocation policies, and expanded piped drinking water infrastructure. In another story, the daily highlights the perils faced by residents in the remote settlement of Dumling, Byas Rural Municipality in Darchula, who still rely on hazardous tuins (makeshift cable crossings) over the Mahakali River to access daily necessities across the border in Garbadhar, India.
Finally, Kantipur Daily carries field reporting on the violence that broke out in Sunsari on July 26, detailing the incident and warning of its potential long-term social and security implications for the wider region. In another report, the daily covers the Nepali government’s formal objection to the unauthorized entry of Indian security forces into the disputed Susta area, with both countries emphasizing the need to maintain the status quo along the border zone.
