Election Commission upholds Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav’s candidacy for vice-president

Setopati

Kathmandu, March 12

The Election Commission has upheld Janata Samajwadi Party leader Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav’s candidacy for vice-president.

Mahesh Sharma, election officer at the Office of the Election Officer at New Baneshwar, Kathmandu, told journalists on Sunday that Yadav’s candidacy will be retained as there is no mandatory or binding provision requiring the president and the vice-president to be of different sexes and communities.

Yadav is the common candidate of the 10-party coalition for vice-president. JSP has also fielded Pramila Kumari along with Yadav for vice-president.

CPN-UML leader Ashta Laxmi Shakya and Janamat Party leader Mamata Jha had filed complaints against Yadav’s candidacy claiming that only women should be candidates for vice-president. Shakya and Jha are candidates of their respective parties for the post.

But the Election Commission has clarified that Yadav’s candidacy need not be canceled as it is not necessary for the candidate to be a woman as per the Constitutional provision.