Kathmandu, March 14

CPN-UML leader and lawmaker Ganesh Timilsina has been elected chairperson of the National Assembly unopposed.

Deputy Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Keshav Raj Aryal said the NA meeting held today announced Timilsina’s election to the post. Timilsina was the lone candidate for the post as no other candidate filed nomination.

Aryal said the meeting had allotted time to the proposer and seconder of Timilsina’s candidacy to address the Upper House briefly before announcing the result.

UML leader Khim Lal Bhattarai had proposed Timilsina’s nomination, while CPN-Maoist Centre leader Dinanath Sharma and UML leader Suman Raj Pyakurel seconded it.

Timilsina, a local of Modi Rural Municipality-7, Parbat, is politburo member and Province 4 coordinator of the UML. He was elected to the Upper House from Province 4 on UML ticket.

As per the understanding between the left alliance of the UML and the CPN-MC, UML fielded Timilsina for the post of NA chair.

Of the 59 seats of the NA, UML and CPN-MC have 39 seats, Nepali Congress 13, and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal two seats each.

Three NA members were appointed by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on the recommendation of the government.

Aryal said today’s NA meeting decided to hold election of deputy NA chair on March 18. For that, candidateshave to file nomination between 11:00am and 2:00pm on March 17.

Meanwhile, election of deputy speaker of HoR will be held on Friday. The Parliament Secretariat said that candidates will have to file their nominations for the post tomorrow.