EC suggests government to hold National Assembly by-election on February 8

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) has suggested the government to fix February 8 as the date for holding the by-election to the one vacant post of the Member of the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament.

The EC submitted the counsel in writing to the government today in line with the provision of holding the by-election of the National Assembly on the date determined by the government.

EC officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner, gave this advice to the government today in a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane and Government Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi were also present in the meeting.

In the meeting, discussions were held on the by-election to the vacant post of Member of National Assembly, election to the post of President and Vice President and an integrated election law, among other contemporary topics.

CEC Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said that the by-election to one vacant post of Member of National Assembly had to be conducted as the resignation tendered from his post by Khimlal Bhattarai (other cluster) who was elected to the upper house from Lumbini Province was accepted on October 9, 2022 and the post had fallen vacant, that the election to the post of President has to be held before coming March 12 as the term of the incumbent President terminated on that date and the election to the post of Vice-President had to be held as it is required that the election to the post of Vice President should concluded within 15 days of the date of the election to the post of President.

EC spokesperson Shaligram Poudyal said that the the EC is preparing to present, through the government, the draft of the Integrated Election Laws that it has drafted in the first session of the Federal Parliament.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Dahal thanked the Election Commission for conducting the local level elections and elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly in a free, fair and fearless environment.

He made it clear that the government was ready to provide necessary support to the Election Commission to hold the elections to the post of President and the Vice-President. RSS