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Nominations for prez race today
Nominations for the presidential race take place on Wednesday with the elections scheduled for March 13, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Tuesday.Nominations for the presidential race take place on Wednesday with the elections scheduled for March 13, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Tuesday.
All the preparations relating to the filing of nomination papers are complete, the poll body said, adding that the parties can register their candidates from 10am until 2pm at the office of election officer on the International Convention Centre premises in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
The elections to the President and Vice President will conclude the election cycles for the implementation of the new constitution in the country.
A new president is likely to emerge from the left alliance as it commands a majority both at the federal parliament and provincial assemblies whose members vote in the presidential election. There are 331 voters from the federal parliament and 549 voters from the provincial assemblies, according to the EC.
The ruling coalition of the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) boasts a combined strength of 213 in the 334-member federal parliament, while the two parties command 351 seats out of 550 in the provincial assemblies. With the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal also set to join the government, the ruling alliance appears to have all but secured the next president.
The ruling UML is deliberating on whether to pick the incumbent President for another term at office or go for a new face, with Jhala Nath Khanal lobbying for the post.
In a controversial move, President Bhandari had appointed Yubaraj Khatiwada, Ram Narayan Bidari and Bimala Poudel as Upper House members on the recommendation of the KP Oli-led government by discarding the recommendation made by the previous government under Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The Supreme Court has, however, halted the swearing-in of the three left alliance nominees after Gopal Kumar Basnet, Krishna Prasad Paudel and Chandani Joshi, who were recommended by the Deuba government, filed a writ at the court protesting the move.
If presidential candidate is elected unopposed, the EC has planned to announce the winner on Thursday.
“We can declare the winner of the presidential race on Thursday in the case there is an unopposed candidate because we have to let complains to be registered against the candidate as per the election schedule,” said EC Spokesperson Navaraj Dhakal.
In the event of two or more candidates contesting the race, the elections will be held on March 13.
Congress CWC meet to pick presidential candidate
KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has called a meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) to decide on party’s candidate for the presidential election scheduled for March 13.
The parties have to file their nominations for the presidential election by Wednesday. According to NC leaders, informal discussions among the top leaders regarding the party candidates are under way and the CWC will take a final decision. The NC leaders said they were waiting a decision of the CPN-UML regarding the candidates.
If the left alliance decides to continue with incumbent President Bidya Devi Bhandari, according to leaders, the NC will pick a woman candidate for the race. If they go with a male candidate, the Congress is likely to pick Man Bahadur Biswokarma as a presidential candidate.
The CWC meeting will also pick candidates for Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The NC will select a candidate for the election to Chairman of the Upper House.
“As Congress’s chances of winning the elections are slim, the selection of candidates should not be that difficult,” said an NC leader requesting anonymity. (PR)