Nepal votes for new president today, results expected by evening
File photo of presidential poll candidate Ram Chandra Poudel from the Nepali Congress.
The presidential election in Nepal is taking place on Thursday (March 9) and results are expected by 7 pm. The voting, which started at 10 am,will close at 3 pm and the counting of votes will begin by 4 pm. The tenure of current President Bidya Devi Bhandari will end on March 12. According to an official report, there are 875 voters on the voter list including 325 federal lawmakers and 550 members of provincial assemblies.
Nepal's Election Commission has set up has set up two separate polling stations for federal parliamentarians and the Province Assembly members have been set up in the Hall. Seven security personnel have been deployed at each of these polling stations.
"All preparations- technical, human resources, and other managerial-related - have been completed in view of the voting for the election of the President to be held at Lhotse Hall of the Parliament Building in New Baneshwor," Election Officer Mahesh Sharma Paudel told the news agency ANI.
The top contenders this time are Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, 78, and CPN (UML) Vice-Chair Subas Chandra Nemwang, 69. Poudel has the support of eight parties while Nemwang is expected to be supported by independent lawmakers.
Speaking to WION, Nemwang said he was enthusiastic and positive about the result. "I met with all the political parties and political leaders including all Members of Parliament. I can say after meeting them I am positive and confident," he added.
To secure the top post, a candidate must secure a majority total votes. The total number of voters for the election of the President is 882, consisting of 332 members of the parliament and 550 members of the provincial assemblies of the seven provinces. The weightage of one vote of the federal parliament lawmaker is 79 and that of the Province Assembly member is 48.
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The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has abstained from Thursday's election. A day earlier, a meeting of the RPP's central committee decided to abstain from voting. "It has been unanimously decided to not participate and stay neutral in the presidential election," party spokesperson Mohan Shrestha said.
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