Kathmandu March 17

Incumbent Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun will be declared the unopposed winner of the vice-presidential election tomorrow.

The Election Commission will, announce him elected tomorrow. Fifty-two-year old Pun was the only candidate to file candidacy for the post of vice-president today.

According to Election Commission Spokesperson Navaraj Dhakal, Pun will be declared elected unopposed tomorrow evening. “We need to follow procedure. If no complaint is filed against Pun and if he does not withdraw his candidacy by tomorrow, we will declare him elected unopposed,” Dhakal told THT.

According to the office of the returning officer, EC will publish his name tomorrow as the only candidate in the fray. This means there will be no voting.

Pun will receive his certificate from the EC tomorrow evening at his office.

The election was scheduled for March 23. As per the election schedule for the post of vice-president, the final list of eligible candidates will be published tomorrow.

Pun’s candidacy was proposed by left alliance lawmaker Subas Chandra Nembang, Pampha Bhusal, Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, Rekha Sharma and Parshuram Meghi Gurung. His candidacy was seconded by left alliance lawmakers Dev Gurung, Onsari Gharti, Jayapuri Gharti, Ram Narayan Bidari and Rajendra Prasad Gautam.

The EC had set until 2:00 pm today to file candidacy for the post of vice-president.

CPN-UML and CPN-MC had agreed to share the post of president and vice-president.

Pun will take oath of office and secrecy from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. She was re-elected president. Bhandari and Pun were elected president and vice-president respectively in 2015 after the new constitution was promulgated.

Pun, who was born in Rangsi village of Rolpa district, was a commander of the People’s Liberation Army during the CPN-Maoists’ armed conflict. Pun also wrote songs for combatants during the armed conflict. He lost his younger brother Kamal Pun in the conflict. He extensively read books on military science, Ramayan and Mahabharat during the conflict.

After his nomination, he said he was committed to national sovereignty and unity as well as preservation of the constitution.