Election for 18 new NA members taking place on Thursday

Kathmandu / Jan 22: Election for the member of National Assembly is taking place in all seven states on Thursday.

At a programme organised here today, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya shared the information that returning officer and security personnel have already reached the voting centres. Voting would take place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm for 18 National Assembly member posts.

State assembly members, mayors and deputy-mayors of municipalities and chairperson and vice-chairpersons of rural municipalities of the districts, where the election is taking place, would reach the district headquarters to cast vote by this evening, according to the Election Commission.

The NA election is taking place in the district headquarters, where high courts of seven states are located, are Morang, Dhanusha, Lalitpur, Kaski, Dang, Surkhet and Doti. District judges of these districts have been assigned as returning officers for the election.

There are a total of 2,056 voters including 550 state assembly members and 1,506 mayors, deputy-mayors, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of local levels. A total of 45 candidates from six political parties are contesting in the election.

Weightage of a vote of state assembly member has been determined 48 while one vote of mayor, deputy-mayor of municipalities and chairperson and vice-chairperson of rural municipalities carries a weight of 18.

According to the EC, all the necessary security arrangement has been made smooth and reliable for the election. The ballot paper for state-assembly members would have election symbol with green ink while ballot papers for mayor and deputy-mayor as well as chairpersons and vice-chairpersons would have election symbol with red-ink.

Returning officers have been directed to make necessary arrangement to count vote and release the result. The term of 19 members of 59-memebr National Assembly is terminating on March 3.

Out of 19 members, election is being held for 18 posts. There is a constitutional provision that President would nominate one NA member at the recommendation of the government.

The Election Commission has also directed the election officers to make proper arrangements for the counting of votes and declaration of election results.

“The more the election is free and fair, credible and acceptable to all, the more the governance system would become responsible, transparent, public-oriented and upright,” the Commission has reminded.

It has urged the voters, candidates, politicians, employees assigned on election duty and the members of the general public to extend cooperation to help conduct the election in a well-managed and peaceful manner.

The election is taking place to elect 18 new members of the 19 National Assembly members whose term is ending on March 3. A member would be nominated by the President on the recommendation of the government.