KATHMANDU: Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe has been nominated as central member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

A party secretariat meeting held on Tuesday decided to nominate Tumbahangphe as a central member. With this, the former deputy speaker will be able to participate in the central committee meeting of the party scheduled for today.

Tumbahangphe had given up party membership after assuming the position of deputy speaker. According to the constitution, one must forgo their party affiliation after being elected to the position of speaker or deputy speaker.

Prior to the formation of NCP (NCP), Tumbahangphe was a central member of the then CPN (UML).

She had tendered resignation from her position as HoR's deputy speaker clearing way for the election of a new speaker. Although Tumbahangphe had also staked her claim to the speaker’s post, she was forced to resign as per constitutional provisions after NCP (NCP) decided to retain the top post.

Tumbahangphe claimed it was she who emerged ultimate winner because she was successful in protecting the parliament from political parties’ diktats. Speaking at a press conference after submitting her resignation to the Parliament Secretariat, Tumbahanghpe said patriarchy was stronger than monarchy in Nepal.

The position had fallen vacant on October 1, 2019 when the then speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned after a female staffer of the Parliament Secretariat filed an FIR accusing him of attempt-to-rape.