Biratnagar, May 6

A Provincial Assembly meeting held here this evening endorsed with two-thirds majority the proposal that Biratnagar be named the permanent headquarters of Province 1.

Following the endorsement of the proposal tabled by the ruling NCP (NCP), Speaker Pradip Kumar Bhandari made the formal announcement, declaring Biratnagar as the permanent headquarters of Province 1.

The ruling party had proposed that Biratnagar be declared the headquarters, stipulating that the structures for the legislative, executive and other offices would be developed within the extensive Birat region.

Though the main opposition Nepali Congress was against the proposal in the beginning, it came around to support the proposal following assurance from the ruling party that the structures would be concentrated in Biratnagar itself.

Out of the total 93 PA members, 86 had cast vote in favour of the proposal. Seven PA members were absent.

Though there were three other proposals separately registered by PA members of Nepali Congress and the ruling NCP (NCP) seeking Biratnagar metropolis and Dhankuta as the headquarters, the proposals were withdrawn during Monday’s discussion.

Today, the discussion of the Provincial Assembly had started in the afternoon and had a 15-minute break professedly to find consensus. Later after the three proposals were withdrawn, the NCP (NCP) had entered the voting process.

It was during this process that Biratnagar was declared the permanent provincial headquarters with two-thirds majority.