• EC publishes final lists of candidates
• Distributes election symbols

Kathmandu, January 29

The Election Commission today said 24 National Assembly members had been elected unopposed.

Of the 56 NA posts, for which election is slated for February 7, the poll panel stated that election will be held only for 32 seats.

Twelve women, nine members from the open category, one Dalit and two from minorities and differently-abled categories were elected unopposed. EC Spokesperson Navaraj Dhakal said 52 candidates are in the race for 32 posts. He added that offices of respective provinces had published the final lists of candidates and provided them with election symbols. He said those elected unopposed would have to wait until February 7 to get victory certificates.

EC official Prem Prasad Sanjyal of Morang district said the returning officer announced unopposed victory of six NA members from Province 1 — three women and three from open category. He said election would be held for two seats — one reserved for Dalits and the other for a differently-abled candidate or one belonging to a minority group.

Radha Krishna Upreti, returning officer of Province 2, said all eight NA members of the province were elected unopposed.

Election will be held for all seats in provinces 3 and 6. Of the 17 candidates who filed to contest NA election from Province 3, three withdrew their candidacies.  No one withdrew his/her candidacy from Province 6.

The EC said election would be held for seven NA posts in Province 7.

Prakash Panta, a differently-abled candidate from of Province 4, was elected unopposed after the EC invalidated candidacy of UML candidate Ram Bahadur Thapa, according to returning officer of Kaski Dipendra Adhikari.

Since three women were elected unopposed in Province 5, election will be held for five seats — three in the open category, one reserved for Dalits and one for a differently-abled candidate or belonging to a minority group.

Six NA members — three women and three from the open category — were elected unopposed in Province 7. Election will be held for two seats.

Early birds of Upper House

Province 1

Women

• Naina Kala Ojha of UML
• Sarita Prasain of NC
• Bina Pokhrel of CPN-MC

Open category

• Parshuram Meghi Gurung of UML
• Hari Charan Siwakoti of UML
• Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi of NC

Province 2

Women

• Pramila Kumari of FSF-N
• Sashikala Dahal of CPN-MC
• Mukta Kumari Yadav of NC

Open category

• Ramesh Prasad Yadav of RJP-N
• Suman Raj Pyakural of UML
• Jitendra Dev of NC

Dalit quota

• Ramprit Paswan
• Minority quota
• Brikhesh Chandra Lal of RJP-N

Province 4

Differently-abled quota

• Prakash Panta

Province 5

Women

• Komal Oli of UML
• Mina Budha of UML
• Anita Devkota of NC

Province 7

Women

• Indu Kadaria of UML
• Kamala Oli of UML
• Tara Devi Bhatta of NC

Open category

• Badri Prasad Pandey of NC
• Sher Bahadur Kunwar of UML
• Hari Ram Chaudhary of CPN-MC