The government has decided to hold the National Assembly by-election on February 8.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday morning announced the election date for one upper house seat representing Lumbini province.

The seat is vacant after National Assembly member Khim Lal Bhattarai tendered his resignation on October 9, the date on which nominations were filed for the November 20 polls.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal directed the officer-bearers at the Election Commission to make necessary preparations for the by-election.

The by-election has been scheduled ahead of voting for a new president and vice-president as the upper house member is one of the voters in the polls.

The terms of President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun expire on March 13 and the election to replace them must be held a month prior to that, on February 12.

The National Assembly members are elected by an electoral college.

Each of the seven provinces elects eight members. The electoral college is made up of members of the provincial assembly and chairperson/mayor and vice-chairperson/deputy mayor of local units within the province.

Each provincial assembly member's vote has a weight of 48 whereas each chairperson/mayor/vice-chairperson/deputy mayor's vote carries a weight of 18.