Ambar Bahadur Bista of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has been elected as Speaker of Koshi Province unopposed.

At the provincial assembly meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar announced that Bista has been elected to the position unopposed as no other candidates challenged his candidacy.

The position was vacant since August 1 after the then Speaker Baburam Gautam resigned from his post.

Bista’s candidacy was proposed by Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s provincial assembly leader Bhakti Prasad Sitaula and seconded by Prem Raj Thamsuhang. No other parties fielded their candidates supporting his candidacy.

Bista, 70, was elected to the provincial assembly through a proportional representation system in elections held last year.

The newly elected Speaker took the oath of office and secrecy from provincial head Parshuram Khapung.