A CPN-UML lawmaker has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against the candidacy of the Janata Samajbadi Party leader Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav for the vice-presidential election.

UML lawmaker Mahesh Bartaula, who had seconded the candidacy by the party’s official candidate Astalaxmi Shakya, filed an application at the Office of the Election Officer at New Baneshwar on Saturday, claiming the candidacy by Yadav is against the constitutional and legal provisions.

Bartaula has claimed that the nomination of a male candidate can’t be registered for the Vice President as a male has been already elected the President.

As per the election timetable, the commission will decide on the complaint(s) by Sunday noon.

Pramila Yadav from the Janata Samajbadi has also registered her candidacy after constitutional and legal questions were raised about whether a male can be elected the Vice President.

On Friday, the Election Commission issued a statement that said only women candidates from communities other than Khas-Arya would be registered for the vice-presidential election.

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya said that the election body will register the candidacy of only female candidates from Dalit, Indigenous Nationalities, Muslim, Madheshi or Tharu communities.

However, leaders have countered his stance, terming it ‘unconstitutional’.

Article 70 of the constitution states that “election to the President and the Vice President under this constitution shall be so made as to have representation of different sex or community.”

A press statement issued by the commission on the same day, however, reads in line with the constitutional provision.