The government is preparing to announce date of election for National Assembly, provincial capitals and appointment of provincial chiefs simultaneously.
The government is preparing to set the election date after President Bidhya Devi Bhandari issued the ordinance on National Assembly election on Friday. "Election Commission (EC) officials have said they will recommend election date after holding discussions," a Baluwatar source said. "Date of election for National Assembly, provincial capitals and appointment of provincial chiefs will be announced simultaneously once the EC recommends the date," the source added.
The EC has not recommended election date to the government till Sunday evening. The EC has said provincial chiefs should be appointed before announcing the election date.
The EC told the government on Friday it will need 30 days to hold election for National Assembly after announcement of the date of election.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said so while meeting Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at his residence in Baluwatar along with all the EC commissioners Friday afternoon.
CEC Yadav told Setopati that it will take 30 days after announcement of the election date to complete the election process from filing of nomnations to voting. The EC has also urged the government to appoint provincial chiefs before announcement of the election date. "The electoral college will not be completed before the members of provincial assembly take oath of office," Yadav said.
A total of 1,506 chiefs and deputy chiefs of 753 local bodies, and 550 provincial assembly members from seven provinces will be voters for the National Assembly election.
