A total of 21 political parties have been registered with the Election Commission for the National Assembly elections scheduled for February 7, the EC has said.

The EC issued a notice on December 29, giving the parties until January 12 to enlist for the vote. Parties permitted to engage in political activities need to register separately for the Upper House polls.

The CPN-UML, the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal, the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch, Bahujan Shakti Party, Nepal Pariwar Dal, Rastriya Janamorcha, Nepal Naulo Janawadi, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Praja-tantrik), Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Nepal Sanghiya Samajbadi Party, Naya Shakti Party Nepal, Nepal Dalit Party, RPP, Bahujan Samaj Party Nepal, Gandhibadi Party Nepal, Nepali Janata Dal and Rastriya Mukti Andolan Nepal will now contest the vote.

With the elections to the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies over, the Upper House vote will give the federal parliament its complete shape.

In the absence of the Assembly, the EC has yet to announce the results of proportional representation category of the House, citing the constitutional requirement of ensuring at least 33 percent representation of women in the federal parliament.

Voters in the National Assembly election are Provincial Assembly members and the chiefs and deputy chiefs of local governments. 

A total of 2,056 voters—550 provincial assembly members and 1,506 chiefs and deputy chiefs of the local level, will elect 56 members in the 59-strong Upper House. The remaining three are appointed by the President on the government’s recommendation. According to the election calendar made public by the poll authority on January 10, the voter list will be published on January 21.

EC urges govt to appoint province chiefs

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission urged the government again on Friday to appoint provincial chiefs, warning that any further delays could affect the National Assembly elections.

A Cabinet meeting supposed to appoint the governors and name the temporary headquarters of the provinces failed to decide on the pressing matters earlier in the day. A meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav decided to write a letter urging the government to appoint the governors, the EC stated. 

The poll body said it was concerned over possible impact of the government’s indecision on the Upper House elections. The EC has to submit the election results to the provincial chiefs within seven days of the results being declared.

The EC has got proportional representation candidates’ list from the parties to be elected to the provincial assemblies. But it fears that the obligation of submitting results within a week of announcement might not be met in the absence of governors. (PR)