Ahead of Nepal’s parliamentary assembly elections, political analysts here are predicting a hung parliament and a government that is unlikely to provide much-needed political stability.

Nepal Parliamentary Polls: Analyst predict a hung Parliament

Polls are underway in Nepal, close to 18 million people are eligible to vote. Political analysts are predicting a hung parliament and a government that is unlikely to provide much-needed political stability.

All you need to know about the Nepal national elections

Nepal’s parliament session which commenced on Wednesday was called off by the Speaker of the House following the protest staged by opposition CPN-UML lawmakers and slogans chanted against the issuance of an ordinance to split a political party.

Parliament has been adjourned till Friday.

The opposition, led by former prime minister KP Sharma Oli,&nbsp;alleged that House Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has played a major role to split the UML by not sacking the 14 leaders, including Madhav Kumar Nepal.&nbsp;

Earlier, Madhav Nepal quit the then-ruling CPN-UML to form a new party under the name of CPN-Unified Socialist.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nepal-pm-deuba-seeks-opposition-support-to-pass-mcc-bill-411678">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nepal-pm-deuba-seeks-opposition-support-to-pass-mcc-bill-411678/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Oli’s party had written a letter to the Speaker last month to take an action against these lawmakers before the Parliament session starts for not abiding by party's rules.&nbsp;

Speaker Sapkota adjourned the meeting for 15 minutes in between due to continuous obstruction.&nbsp;

Amidst all the chanting and protest, Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand was able to table Second Amendment Bill and the only ordinance among fifteen ordinances which were supposed to be tabled.&nbsp;

The amendment bill, which was proposed by Deuba government, is related to provisions regarding splitting political parties.&nbsp;The passing of the ordinance paved the way for the CPN-UML and the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) to split.

House of Representatives was prorogued on August 16.&nbsp;

Nepal’s parliament session which commenced on Wednesday was called off by the Speaker of the House following the protest staged by opposition CPN-UML lawmakers and slogans chanted against the issuance of an ordinance to split a political party.

Nepal’s parliament session which commenced on Wednesday was called off by the Speaker of the House following the protest staged by opposition CPN-UML lawmakers and slogans chanted against the issuance of an ordinance to split a political party. Parliament has been adjourned till Friday. The opposition, led by former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, alleged that House Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has played a major role to split the UML by not sacking the 14 leaders, including Madhav Kumar Nepal. Earlier, Madhav Nepal quit the then-ruling CPN-UML to form a new party under the name of CPN-Unified Socialist. WATCH | Oli’s party had written a letter to the Speaker last month to take an action against these lawmakers before the Parliament session starts for not abiding by party's rules. Speaker Sapkota adjourned the meeting for 15 minutes in between due to continuous obstruction. Amidst all the chanting and protest, Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand was able to table Second Amendment Bill and the only ordinance among fifteen ordinances which were supposed to be tabled. The amendment bill, which was proposed by Deuba government, is related to provisions regarding splitting political parties. The passing of the ordinance paved the way for the CPN-UML and the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) to split. House of Representatives was prorogued on August 16.

Nepal’s opposition party disrupts parliament session, chants slogans against speaker

Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe, announced her resignation from the post on Monday afternoon. Tumbahangphe's resignation came shortly after she chaired the House meeting at 1 pm (Local Time) on Monday.

"In order to vent this confusion, I have been minutely observing ongoing discussions. Majority owing party in House Of Representatives have claimed leadership; facilitation of proceeding as per our constitutional and legal practices," Tumbahangphe said while addressing the House meeting.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-ruling-party-remains-undecided-over-new-house-speaker-273706">Nepal's ruling party remains undecided over new House Speaker</a>

Ruling Nepal Communist Party has fielded Agni Prasad Sapkota as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepali-parliament-to-start-process-to-pick-new-speaker-next-week-269419">candidate for the Speaker of the House</a>. Opposition Nepali Congress is yet to decide over the candidate it would file for the post.

The post of Nepal's Parliament has remained vacant since early October 2019 when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-court-orders-judicial-custody-to-former-house-speaker-on-rape-charges-260059">Krisha Bahadur Mahara</a> had to resign from the post following the allegations of rape.

Article 91 (2) of the constitution has the mandatory provision of electing the speaker and deputy speaker from different political parties and gender.

Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe, announced her resignation from the post on Monday afternoon. Tumbahangphe's resignation came shortly after she chaired the House meeting at 1 pm (Local Time) on Monday.

Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe, announced her resignation from the post on Monday afternoon. Tumbahangphe's resignation came shortly after she chaired the House meeting at 1 pm (Local Time) on Monday. "In order to vent this confusion, I have been minutely observing ongoing discussions. Majority owing party in House Of Representatives have claimed leadership; facilitation of proceeding as per our constitutional and legal practices," Tumbahangphe said while addressing the House meeting. Also Read: Nepal's ruling party remains undecided over new House Speaker Ruling Nepal Communist Party has fielded Agni Prasad Sapkota as the candidate for the Speaker of the House. Opposition Nepali Congress is yet to decide over the candidate it would file for the post. The post of Nepal's Parliament has remained vacant since early October 2019 when Krisha Bahadur Mahara had to resign from the post following the allegations of rape. Article 91 (2) of the constitution has the mandatory provision of electing the speaker and deputy speaker from different political parties and gender.

Nepal Deputy House Speaker Tumbahangphe resigns

The Lower House of Nepal parliament will start the process next week to pick a new House Speaker.

A meeting of the House of Representatives has been called on December 27 to initiate the process as the post of House Speaker has been vacant ever since Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned over a rape allegation.

In the absence of House Speaker, the Winter Session of Nepal's lower house started from Friday chaired by Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe.

This time the election for the Speaker is seen with much caution as the Constitutional provision demands the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker should be representatives from different party and sex.

"The election under Clause (1) shall be so held that there is one woman as either Speaker or Deputy Speaker, and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be representatives from different parties," states the Constitution.

Outgoing Speaker Mahara, who represented then CPN (Maoist Center) and the current Deputy Speaker Shivamaya Tumbahamphe, was from the former CPN-UML at the time of their election. Later, the two parties were merged to form the NCP.

But the ruling party refused to make any change to the two posts, arguing that they were no longer with any party as they had already resigned their party positions immediately after being elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

The Lower House of Nepal parliament will start the process next week to pick a new House Speaker. A meeting of the House of Representatives has been called on December 27 to initiate the process as the post of House Speaker has been vacant ever since Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned over a rape allegation.

The Lower House of Nepal parliament will start the process next week to pick a new House Speaker. A meeting of the House of Representatives has been called on December 27 to initiate the process as the post of House Speaker has been vacant ever since Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned over a rape allegation. In the absence of House Speaker, the Winter Session of Nepal's lower house started from Friday chaired by Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe. This time the election for the Speaker is seen with much caution as the Constitutional provision demands the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker should be representatives from different party and sex. "The election under Clause (1) shall be so held that there is one woman as either Speaker or Deputy Speaker, and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be representatives from different parties," states the Constitution. Outgoing Speaker Mahara, who represented then CPN (Maoist Center) and the current Deputy Speaker Shivamaya Tumbahamphe, was from the former CPN-UML at the time of their election. Later, the two parties were merged to form the NCP. But the ruling party refused to make any change to the two posts, arguing that they were no longer with any party as they had already resigned their party positions immediately after being elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Nepalese parliament to start process to pick new speaker next week

Police have arrested the former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepals-parliament-speaker-steps-down-after-rape-claim-253108">speaker of Nepal's parliament </a>after a female employee in the assembly accused him of rape.

A police van arrived at Krishna Bahadur Mahara's residence late Sunday and took him into custody after the district court ordered his arrest.

"He was taken into custody yesterday to investigate the case," Shyam Lal Gyawali, Kathmandu police spokesman told AFP.

Mahara, a senior member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and former Maoist rebel, denied the allegation but stepped down as speaker last week after the woman gave details of the assault to media.

The communist government had faced mounting pressure over the case.

In a video interview published by the hamrakura.com news website on Monday, the woman said Mahara was drunk when he arrived at her home on September 29. He persuaded her to drink alcohol before assaulting her.

"I had not thought it would come to this. He forced himself (on me)... he left after I said I will call the police," she said in the interview.

The woman showed apparent bruises on her arms, hands and feet.

Police said they went to her home the same night, but she did not file a case straight away.

Investigators collected evidence including a bottle of whisky and a pair of broken spectacles, allegedly belonging to Mahara, police said.

However, the woman withdrew her allegation in mid-week, following what many were threats and pressure, media reports said. The woman eventually filed a formal complaint on Friday.

The government faced intense public pressure to make sure the woman's accusations were acted on.

On Friday, the United Nations and foreign embassies in Nepal issued a joint statement urging the government to act against violence against women, without specific reference to Mahara.

"The undersigned call upon all relevant state authorities to send a clear message of zero tolerance to any forms of gender-based violence by anyone under any circumstances," the statement read.

A former rebel leader during Nepal's decade-long Maoist insurgency, Mahara has previously served as deputy prime minister and has held several ministerial posts.

Police have arrested the former speaker of Nepal's parliament after a female employee in the assembly accused him of rape. A police van arrived at Krishna Bahadur Mahara's residence late Sunday and took him into custody after the district court ordered his arrest.

Police have arrested the former speaker of Nepal's parliament after a female employee in the assembly accused him of rape. A police van arrived at Krishna Bahadur Mahara's residence late Sunday and took him into custody after the district court ordered his arrest. "He was taken into custody yesterday to investigate the case," Shyam Lal Gyawali, Kathmandu police spokesman told AFP. Mahara, a senior member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and former Maoist rebel, denied the allegation but stepped down as speaker last week after the woman gave details of the assault to media. The communist government had faced mounting pressure over the case. In a video interview published by the hamrakura.com news website on Monday, the woman said Mahara was drunk when he arrived at her home on September 29. He persuaded her to drink alcohol before assaulting her. "I had not thought it would come to this. He forced himself (on me)... he left after I said I will call the police," she said in the interview. The woman showed apparent bruises on her arms, hands and feet. Police said they went to her home the same night, but she did not file a case straight away. Investigators collected evidence including a bottle of whisky and a pair of broken spectacles, allegedly belonging to Mahara, police said. However, the woman withdrew her allegation in mid-week, following what many were threats and pressure, media reports said. The woman eventually filed a formal complaint on Friday. The government faced intense public pressure to make sure the woman's accusations were acted on. On Friday, the United Nations and foreign embassies in Nepal issued a joint statement urging the government to act against violence against women, without specific reference to Mahara. "The undersigned call upon all relevant state authorities to send a clear message of zero tolerance to any forms of gender-based violence by anyone under any circumstances," the statement read. A former rebel leader during Nepal's decade-long Maoist insurgency, Mahara has previously served as deputy prime minister and has held several ministerial posts.