Govt schedules National Assembly poll for Feb 7

Kathmandu / Jan 5: The government has scheduled the date of National Assembly election for February 7.

An emergency cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Friday afternoon decided to this effect.

The cabinet has also decided to extend the tenure of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) by a year.

“The government decided to this effect by amending the law. An ordinance on law amendment will be issued,” said Minister Thapa.

The tenure of both the commissions is expiring on February 9.

Even though today’s cabinet meeting was expected to fix centers of provinces and pick provincial chiefs, it could not do so. Minister for Labor and Employment Furmullah Mansoor said the next cabinet meeting would decide on this matter.

On December 29, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had authenticated the ordinance on election to the National Assembly ending the dispute over the issue between the Left alliance and Nepali Congress.

The government had presented the ordinance to the President in the third week of October for authentication.

Earlier, Election Commission had recommended the government to hold National Assembly elections on February 8.

EC has set January 9 for the registration of the political parties.