Baburam Gautam of the CPN (Maoist Center) was elected unopposed as the Provincial Assembly Speaker of Province 1 on Thursday.

CPN-UML’s Chief Whip Revathiram Bhandari had proposed Gautam’s nomination for Speaker while Maoist Centre’s lawmaker Narayan Bahadur Burjamgar had seconded the proposal.

Gautam, a resident of Likhu rural municipality-8, who was elected as a provincial assembly member from Okhaldhunga 1 (2) was the only candidate to file the nomination for the post.

Gayanand Mandal Gangai, the eldest member of the Provincial Assembly, announced Gautam’s election as the Speaker to the provincial assembly.

Gautam will preside over the province assembly meeting slated for 2 pm today after taking the oath of office and secrecy from the Province Head Parshuram Khapung.

Gautam is a central member of the Maoist Centre.