KATHMANDU, March 20: Senior leader Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), is set to take the oath of office as Nepal’s next Prime Minister on March 27.
According to sources, a top-level meeting of the party on Thursday evening confirmed March 27 as the date for the Prime Minister’s swearing-in. Party Chair Ravi Lamichhane, co-chairpersons DP Aryal and Dr Swarnim Wagle participated in the discussion.
Earlier on Thursday, the Federal Parliament Secretariat announced the schedule for the oath-taking of newly elected members of parliament. Following consultations with six parties represented in the House of Representatives, the swearing-in of MPs has been scheduled for March 26 at 2:00 PM. The Prime Minister’s oath is expected to follow the next day.
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After finalizing the MPs’ schedule, the top leadership of RSP, which commands nearly a two-thirds majority in parliament, held further discussions on the government formation. Sharing details of the meeting on social media along with a photo, Vice-Chair Dr Swarnim Wagle wrote: “State affairs. Tonight’s discussion.”
The RSP meeting followed the formal submission of the final report of the House of Representatives election 2082 by the Election Commission (EC) to President Ram Chandra Paudel on Thursday afternoon, officially paving the way for the formation of the new government.
At a ceremony at Shital Niwas, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari handed over the comprehensive report detailing results for all 275 parliamentary seats, both under direct and proportional representation.
President Paudel welcomed the report, praising the EC, its staff, and security agencies for conducting a smooth and credible electoral process despite challenging political circumstances. “By conducting the elections freely and fairly, the EC has fulfilled a major responsibility and reinforced public confidence in our democracy,” he said.
With the report officially in the President’s hands, consultations with political parties to form a new government are expected to begin. The RSP, having secured nearly a two-thirds majority, is poised to form a single-party majority government under Article 76(1) of the Constitution.
The EC’s report, which lists 165 members elected directly and 110 through proportional representation, will also be published in the official gazette, completing the formal process of validating the election results and setting the stage for the new government.
