The government has started the process of filling the vacant positions of chief commissioner and commissioners at the Election Commission.

A meeting of the Prime Minister headed Constitutional Council has decided to fill the vacant positions in the Commission on Friday. To that end,the meeting decided to prepare a roster of candidates.

“The meeting has decided to issue a notice for updating the roster of experts with a week-long deadline. Once the roster is updated we will pick the members of the constitutional body,” said Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar after the meeting.

The post of the chief commissioner and two commissioners at the Election Commission are lying vacant after its former chief Neel Kantha Uprety and commissioners Dolakh Bahadur Gurung and PV Ram Bhakta Thakur retired.  

Currently, only two commissioners—Ayodhee Prasad Yadav and Ila Sharma –are in the office.

Meanwhile, Yadav, who is working as the acting chief election commissioner, said he is more than willing to take on the role of the chief commissioner if given the opportunity. He is yet to complete his three-year term along with commissioner Sharma.

“I am working here as the commissioner since 2008. I am capable to drive the institution with my experience and capacity if they allow me to work as chief,” Yadav said.