Nepal to elect new President, Vice-President on October 28

Nepal’s parliament on Saturday started the process to elect the country’s second president and vice-president----a month after the Himalayan nation adopted a new Constitution.

Updated on: Oct 24, 2015, 18:50:44 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal’s parliament on Saturday started the process to elect the country’s second president and vice-president----a month after the Himalayan nation adopted a new Constitution.

Nepal’s newly-appointed prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli, left, waves to the media as he stands with other leaders of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). The Himalyan nation has begun the process to elect the country’s President and vice-president - a month after it adopted a new Constitution. (AP Photo)

As per the new statute, elections to the posts of the president and his deputy should be completed within a month after promulgation of the constitution.

Newly elected Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar announced the schedule for the election on Saturday during the first session of parliament after Dashain break.

Election to both posts will take place on October 28 if political parties fail to select candidates through consensus till Sunday.

Several names including that of incumbent President Ram Baran Yadav, who became Nepal’s first head of state in 2008 after monarchy was abolished, is doing the rounds for the top post.

It is expected that the ruling coalition will put forward their own candidates and the main opposition party, Nepali Congress, will field candidates with support from some Madhesi parties.

Madhesi parties which had boycotted the Constitution process during the final stages over disagreement in demarcation of states had voted for Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala during this month’s election for the prime minister’s post.

Koirala was defeated by former coalition partner Khadga Prasad Oli who won with support from over a dozen parties including Maoists and one major party from Madhes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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