Voting has started for National Assembly in all provinces except Province 2 from 10 Wednesday morning. There will be no elections in Province 2 as all eight members from the province have already been elected unopposed, according to the Election Commission (EC).
Sixteen other members have also been elected unopposed leaving just 32 seats up for grabs through voting. There are 52 candidates vying for those 32 seats, according to the EC, with all eight seats up for grabs only in Province 3 and 6. There are a total of 1,677 voters in the six provinces including 443 provincial assembly members and 1,234 chiefs and deputy chiefs of the local bodies.
Voting in Province 1 is being done in Biratnagar, Province 3 in Lalitpur, Province 4 Pokhara, Province 5 Dang, Province 6 Surkhet and Province 7 Doti. There are separate polling centers for provincial assembly members and local level representatives in each province.
The voters, who have been included in the final list of electoral college, can vote by producing the certificate verifying their electoral victory or voter identity card or even citizenship certificate.
Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said all the election officers have been directed to start counting immediately after completion of voting, and finish counting as soon as possible. "We have also deployed teams in all provinces to help in vote counting." Yadav stated. The EC has deployed joint secretaries at all provinces for monitoring of election.
The EC has prepared to announce the final results today itself and Thursday at the latest. Yadav revealed that the the final results of National Assembly election in all seven provinces will be submitted to the President as soon as possible.
The National Assembly has 59 members including eight elected from each province, and three nominated by the President on recommendation of the government.
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Voters queuing up for their turn to cast vote at Volleyball ground in Jawalakhel of Lalitpur. Photo: Narayan Maharjan[/caption]
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Voters turning up to cast votes under National Assembly election at Regional Directorate of Public Service Commission (PSC) in Pokhara of Province 4. RSS[/caption]
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Voter casting her vote under National Assembly election at Regional Directorate of Public Service Commission (PSC) in Pokhara of Province 4. RSS[/caption]
