Speaker Subas Nembang announced in parliament that "voting in the election will start February 3". Candidates will file their candidacy the previous day.[break]
"In case the first vote is inconclusive, the next round will be held February 5," BAC member Yamlal Kandel said. Parliament will conduct another vote on February 6, if it fails to elect a prime minister in the second round.
Parliament resumed the election process after amending some regulations on election procedure. Leaders from major parties agreed to amend the regulations after 16 rounds of futile voting.
Under the amended regulations, all the candidates shall compete in the first and second round votes, but only two finalists will contest the third round.
The process begins anew if no contender secures a majority even after three rounds of voting. As per the new provision, lawmakers will vote their choice if two or more candidates are in the fray, but they cannot vote against.
WILL VOTING YIELD RESULT NOW?
The first and second round votes can still remain inconclusive if lawmakers from major parties vote for their own candidates.
As the amendment prohibits lawmakers from staying neutral, remaining absent or abstaining, the new election is expected to produce results.
But some leaders still doubt this, saying the regulations are silent on whether or not a political party can boycott.
"We decided not to mention whether parties can´t boycott the vote because we thought it inappropriate to presume any party would shun such an important responsibility," said Agni Kharel, member of the amendment drafting committee.
A result can be expected by the third round when the votes are divided between only two candidates, unless a major party boycotts the voting.
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