KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) has summoned the Madhav Nepal-led CPN-Unified (Socialist) and the Mahantha Thakur-led Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) for identification.

Spokesperson of the EC Raj Kumar Shrestha said that the leaders of both the parties should turn up in person at the Office of the Commission for identification.

The CPN-UML has formally split after the ordinance on political parties was issued with the support of 20 percent in the parliamentary parties and the Central Committee.

Leader Nepal had submitted the names of 58 members of the UML’s 203-member central committee to the EC. However, as the party registration application was not signed, the identities of the seven candidates could not be ascertained.

Even if seven people are not identified, the number will suffice for Nepal to register his party. It seems that the CPN-United (Socialist) can be registered if it has 41 members.

Similarly, Thakur-Mahato faction defected from Janata Samajwadi Party to form Democratic Samajwadi Party (DSP). Leader Nepal-led CPN-United and Thakur-led DSP had filed an application with the EC seeking registrations of their parties on Friday.

Spokesperson Shrestha also informed that the commission will take a decision in this regard by verifying both the parties between 10:30 am and 2 pm on Wednesday.