KATHMANDU: The government has decided to hold the Provincial Assembly and House of Representatives elections in two rounds.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at Singhadarbar decided to conduct the elections separately, following the suggestions of Election Commission.

Earlier, the government had decided to hold both the elections at one go and was announced to take place concurrently on November 26.

Briefing the media about the decisions made in the meeting, Minister for Information and Communications Mohan Bahadur Basnet said that the complete schedule for the elections has not been maintained yet when the report of the Electoral Constituency Delimitation Commission is awaited. But bearing in mind the EC's suggestions, the election to be held in the second phase would be conducted on December 7.

“The remaining issues relating to the province and its capital would be finalised later on the basis of political consensus,” he added.

Minister Basnet said, "The meeting has also decided to set up National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission for which the Constitutional Council will make recommendation."

The meeting also decided to accept loan grant assistance worth more than Rs 15 billion from the Asian Development for customs sector reform and modernisation.

Discussion was held on scrapping the vacancies for the post of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) and creating a new vacancy for Deputy Inspector General of Police, according to Minister Basnet.

Similarly, other decisions made in the meeting include promotion of Brigadier General of Nepal Army Rajendra Karki to the post of Major General.

Likewise, Secretary at the Ministry of Land Reform Krishna Raj Devkota has been transferred to the Ministry of Supply.

Similarly, Shambhu Koirala will be transferred to the Ministry of Land Reform, Krishna Raj GC to Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Maheshwar Neupane to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, according to the cabinet meeting.