Kathmandu, March 30

Lawyers across the country voted for new office bearers of Nepal Bar Association today.

Out of 10,313 voters, 8,329 voters cast their votes across the country, said NBA Election Officer Shiva Prasad Rijal. He said the counting of votes was likely to begin tomorrow evening when ballot boxes from 36 voting centres across the country would arrive in Kathmandu.

Lawyers voted for the office bearers of their umbrella body from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. In Sarlahi, the voting time was extended till 4:30 pm.

Although eight candidates re vying for the post of NBA president, main rivalry is, however,  expected between the candidates from Nepali Congress affiliated Democratic Lawyers Association and Nepal Communist Party (NCP)-aligned National Lawyers Association.

Candidates for NBA President Advocate Sunil Pokharel represent   Democratic Lawyers Association while Senior Advocate  Chandeshor Shrestha represents National Lawyers Association. Other candidates vying for the NBA presidency include Punya Prasad Khatiwada, Birat Kumar Neupane, Krishna Prasad Sharma, Ram Prasad Prajapati, Toyanath Dhungana and Gajendra Bahadur Thapa.

Today’s elections will  elect 24 office bearers of the lawyers umbrella association, including one president, seven vice presidents — one in each province — one general secretary, one treasurer, one Dalit member, two Madhesi-Muslim members, two indigenous nationalities, two women, six from open category and one from outside Kathmandu valley.