Kathmandu, February 7
Nepal is electing the National Assembly, the Upper House of bicameral federal Parliament, for the first time since the promulgation of new constitution in 2015 on Wednesday.
Members of seven provincial assemblies and chiefs and deputy chiefs of all local governments will cast ballots to elected 56 members. Three members of the 59-member House will be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the government.
The 56 members will represent seven provinces (eight for each province). The Upper House will have representation of four clusters from each province: three women, one Dalit, one minority community or people with disabilities, and three others.
Of 56 members, 24 have already been elected unopposed. All eight members from Province 2 have been elected unanimously. Therefore, voting will be held in six provinces only.
Total 52 candidates are vying for 32 vacant positions in other provinces. The Election Commission has established one voting centre in each province. Accordingly, voting will be held in Biratnagar of Province 1, Patan of Province 3, Pokhara of Province 4, Dang of Province 5, Surkhet of Province 6 and Doti of Province 7.
The Commission says results will be published by Friday. However, efforts will be made to announce results as early as possible, according to the Commission’s spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal.
The constitution says the term of one-third of National Assembly members will expire in two years as body is being formed for the first time. The other one-third will stay in office in four years and the final one-third in six years. Therefore, the elected members will be asked to draw lots to decide their term.
The term of all National Assembly members to be elected form the next time will be six years, but the elections will be held for one-third positions every two years.
