CPN-UML leader Ganesh Timilsena, who was sole contender for the chair of the National Assembly, has been declared victorious unopposed. A meeting of the Upper House under senior-most member Tara Devi Bhatta on Wednesday announced his victory.

The UML was allocated the position under a power-sharing deal with its ally Maoist Centre which secured the position of Speaker. Timilsina, who was elected member of the Upper House from Province 4, is a deputy coordinator of the party in the province. Timilsina’s candidacy was proposed by NA member Khimlal Bhattarai, and seconded by NA members Suman Raj Pyakurel and Dinanath Sharma.

Timilsina will take the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday and assume the office on Friday.

Following the election of the NA chair, the Parliament-Secretariat has made public the schedule for the election to the NA vice-chairman. According to the schedule, an NA member can file candidacy with support from two other lawmakers on Friday, while the voting for the post will take place on Sunday. With the NA chair taken by the UML, the position of vice-chair will go to the CPN (Maoist Centre). The Maoist Centre has yet to announce its candidate for the position.

Election body releases VP poll schedule

Two days after the presidential election, the Election Commission has announced that the voting for Vice-president will be held on March 23. A meeting of the EC today under Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav made the decision on Wednesday, EC Spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal said.

The voting will take place from 10am to 3pm at the Federal Parliament Building in New Baneshwor. As per the election schedule finalised by the EC, voters’ name list will be made public on Thursday. Candidacies can be filed on March 17 and the final list of candidate(s) will be published on March 18, according to the EC.

As per the power-sharing deal, the UML will support the Maoist Centre candidate for the post.

As President Bhandari has been reappointed to the post, incumbent Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun is widely expected to retain the post. Article 70 of the constitution states the President and Vice-president should have representation from different sex or community.