President Ram Baran Yadav on Friday called the winter session of Legislature-Parliament starting next week. The session will elect the new Prime Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker as well as the President and the Vice President.

As per the notice issued on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, the House is scheduled to meet at the International Convention Centre in New Baneshwor at 1pm on October 2.

The President’s Office said in a statement that the parliamentary session was called as per Article 296 (6) of the Constitution of Nepal. The Article provisions that the President summons Parliament within seven days of the promulgation of the new constitution. The new constitution was promulgated amid a special function on September 20.

According to Article 298 (2) of the constitution, the PM’s election is to be held within seven days based on consensus and the new council of minister is formed under him. If there is no consensus, the process for majority government will begin as per the Clause 3 of the Article. According to Bipin Adhikari, a constitutional expert, the new government cannot be formed within seven days if there is no consensus. “In seven days, only the process for new government formation will begin if there is no consensus,” he told the Post.

The last time a consensus government was formed was before the first Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008. Sudarshan Kuinkel, deputy spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat, said the process for new government formation starts from the second meeting of the session likely on October 4.

Besides, the election process for the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, and the President and Vice President will also begin with the commencement of the session.

According to Article 299 of the constitution, the Speaker and his/her deputy are elected in consensus within 20 days of the first House meeting while the election for the President and the Vice President takes place within 30 days. However, only the election process will begin in the stipulated time if there is no consensus.