Kathmandu, September 17

Provincial assemblies will be formed in 11 weeks from now, but the government is yet to name the interim venue and offices where members of the provincial assemblies and Chief Ministers can take oath of office and secrecy.

Article 288 of the constitution stipulates that the headquarters of the provinces will be as determined by two-third majority of the provinces, but the government can name interim headquarters of the provinces till the provincial assemblies name their headquarters.

Spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Hari Prasad Panthi said that the government would name the interim headquarters soon and also appoint governors of all seven provinces before the provincial elections.

Provincial and Parliamentary elections will be held together but on two different dates -November 26 and December 7.

Once the governors are appointed, they will take care of the interim arrangements for the members of the provincial assemblies and the chief ministers.  Panthi said the government could name those places where major government offices are located as interim headquarters of the provinces.

“As far as the swearing-in ceremony is concerned, the governors to be elected could manage any government building for the ceremony of elected representatives,” Panthi said and added that the most important thing was to ensure that provincial and parliamentary elections were held peacefully. “Once the elections are held, everything will be managed successfully,” he added.

Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development Dinesh Thapaliya said that the Cabinet would decide about the place where the meetings of the elected members of the provincial assemblies could take place. He, however, said that his ministry had not received any directions from the government about other interim arrangements for the offices of the members to be elected in the provincial assemblies and the chief ministers. Thapaliya also said that the government would most likely name the places where high courts and regional offices of security agencies are located as interim headquarters of provinces.