KATHMANDU: Voting to elect the new leadership of the Nepali Congress (NC) under its 15th General Convention, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., has been postponed to 1 p.m.
Raju Katuwal, member secretary of the Election Committee, said the voting was delayed due to inadequate preparations.
A total of 7,255 delegates will elect the party’s leadership for the next four years. As many as 812 candidates are contesting the election, including 71 candidates for 18 office-bearer positions and 741 candidates for 210 Central Working Committee positions.
Of the 297-member Central Working Committee, 66 members will be nominated by the party president elected at the General Convention. The president will also nominate four joint general secretaries and one treasurer from among the central members.
Two office bearers and one central member have already been elected unopposed. Bishwaprakash Sharma has been elected senior vice president, while Pushpa Bhusal has been elected unopposed as vice president under the women’s category.
According to the revised election schedule issued by the Election Committee, representatives from Bagmati Province will cast their votes at Polling Station A at the National Assembly Building. Polling Station B at Khulamanch has been designated for representatives from various provinces and groups.
Representatives from Koshi Province and the Tarai-Madhes groups will vote at Khulamanch. Similarly, representatives from Gandaki Province will cast their ballots at Himal Hall, while representatives from Madhesh Province under the open category will vote at Tarai-Madhes Hall.
Representatives from Lumbini Province will vote at Pahad Hall. Representatives from Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, as well as members of Nepali Public Relations Committees and fraternal organisations, will also cast their votes at the designated polling stations at Khulamanch.
The Election Committee has urged delegates to proceed to the polling station assigned to their respective province and category after entering the designated voting venue. Delegates’ identity cards and names on the voter list will be verified before they are allowed to vote.
The Election Committee has also issued an election code of conduct to ensure orderly and dignified voting. The distribution of campaign materials, including leaflets, has been prohibited at the convention venue. Candidates and others involved in campaigning have been urged to comply with the code.
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