Office of Election Officer established for upcoming election of president and vice president

KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The Office of Election Officer has been operational from today on the premises of the International Conference Center at New Baneshwar for the election of the president and vice president. The Election Commission has fixed the date for the election of the president on March 9 and the election of the vice president on March 17.

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya while inaugurating the office said that the final voters’ list will published on February 22.

CEC Thapaliya said that the weightage of votes in this election has been fixed based on the results of the national census of 2011 as the report of the latest national census is not yet available.

Chief Commissioner Thapaliya said that preparations are being made to publish the voting results by 7 PM of the voting day of the presidential election and if any candidate fails to get majority votes, the election will be held the next day on March 10.  He added that the voting will be held at the International Convention Center.

The Commission, in consultation with the Judicial Council has appointed Patan High Court Judge Mahesh Sharma Paudel as the Election Officer for the election. Paudel expressed his commitment to conduct the election in a clean and free manner.

Members of the Federal Parliament and the Provincial Assembly will be voters for both the posts. According to Shaligram Sharma Paudel, spokesperson of the commission, there will be a total of 884 voters, 334 in the Federal Parliament and 550 in the provincial assemblies. Currently, two members are suspended and one post is vacant in the House of Representatives.

According to the approved election program, the voters’ list will be published on February 22 from 10 AM to 11 AM for the presidential election. Also, the nomination papers of candidates will be registered at the election officer's office from 10 AM to 3 PM on February 25. 

For the election of the vice president, the registration of nomination papers is scheduled for March 11 from 9 AM to 2 PM.

The term of office of the current president will end on March 12 and the term of the vice president will end on March 17.