The government has decided to hold National Assembly elections on January 25 next year.

A Cabinet meeting on Wednesday finalised the poll date to fill the seats of 19 of its members, including Chairperson Ganesh Timilsina, whose terms expire on March 3.

The decision was taken as per the proposal of the Election Commission, said Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma.

Terms of the members of the present National Assembly were determined by drawing lots—for two years, four years and six years. The tenure of the first lot of 19 lawmakers ended on March 4, 2020 while the second lot retired on March 4 last year. The previous elections were held on January 26, 2022. The upcoming elections are being held to elect the lawmakers who had six years of tenure by drawing lots.

The country’s upper house has 59 members. Of them, 56 are elected, and three are nominated by the President on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. Each of the seven provinces elects eight members including women and representatives from marginalised communities and those with disabilities.

As many as 549 provincial assembly members and 1,504 chiefs and their deputies of the local units are eligible for voting. However, one position each of a provincial assembly member, chairperson and vice-chairperson of rural municipalities are lying vacant.

The commission is planning to hold the elections in these vacant positions in April next year.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting also decided to promote Sarita Dawadi to the post of the Nepal Engineering Council Secretary, which is vacant, Sharma added.