Delegates of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) are voting on Wednesday to elect the party’s 99-member central committee, the first phase of a leadership election that will also determine the party’s office bearers.

Voting is expected to last around eight hours, according to Bhuwan KC, chief of the party’s central election commission. The party will use electronic voting machines (EVMs) at the convention venue, while overseas-based delegates will cast their ballots via the RSP’s mobile application.

“The results will be available within two hours after voting concludes,” KC said.

The election follows the conclusion of the convention’s closed session, which began on Tuesday after being delayed by a day because of disputes over delegate selection.

During the session, delegates endorsed key party documents, including the political report presented by party chair Rabi Lamichhane, an economic and political proposal tabled by Vice-chair Swarnim Wagle, an organisational report presented by General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, proposed amendments to the party statute submitted by Joint General Secretary Bipin Acharya, the financial report presented by Treasurer Lima Adhikari, and the disciplinary committee’s report tabled by Ramakanta Rimal.

Candidates for the central committee were required to pay a nomination fee of Rs21,000 and submit the signatures of one proposer and 21 seconders.

Under the party statute, the leadership election will be held in two phases. The first phase elects the chair and the 99-member central committee. In the second phase, the newly elected central committee will elect the party’s office bearers. Only elected central committee members are eligible to contest those positions.

The party has amended its statute to increase the number of office bearers from 12 to 19. The new structure includes one chair, one senior leader, three vice-chairs, two general secretaries, five joint general secretaries, one spokesperson, three joint spokespersons, one treasurer and two deputy treasurers, with reserved positions for women and nominated members.

Balendra Shah is widely expected to become the party’s senior leader, while Swarnim Wagle is expected to be the only candidate for one of the open vice-chair posts. Several leaders are also expected to contest the remaining leadership positions after the central committee results are announced.

The party’s top post has already been decided, with founder Lamichhane elected unopposed as chair after emerging as the sole candidate during Tuesday’s nomination period. His candidacy was proposed by Prime Minister Shah and backed by founding members, provincial chairs and leaders from the party’s previous central secretariat.