KATHMANDU: Voting to elect the new Central Working Committee of the Nepali Congress (NC) is underway in Kathmandu as part of the party’s 15th General Convention.
Delegates began queuing at polling stations early in the morning to cast their ballots. The Election Committee has planned to begin counting votes immediately after polling concludes.
The election, initially scheduled for Thursday, was postponed due to adverse weather, technical problems and delays in printing ballot papers. Raju Katuwal, member secretary of the Election Committee, said the decision to hold voting in the morning was intended to spare delegates the inconvenience of voting late at night.
Polling is scheduled to continue until 3 pm today. A total of 7,317 delegates are participating in the general convention. Election Committee coordinator and senior advocate Prem Bahadur Khadka said all necessary preparations had been completed, with 32 senior advocates assigned to sign the ballot papers.
As the convention has been extended by one day, the party will cover delegates’ accommodation and meal expenses for Friday, according to Umesh Shrestha, coordinator of the Financial Management Committee.
The Election Committee has designated polling centres according to provinces and groups. Delegates from Bagmati Province will vote at the National Assembly Hall, while the open-ground polling centre has been allocated to delegates from Koshi Province and the Terai-Madhesh group.
Gandaki Province delegates will vote at Himal Hall, and those from Madhesh Province will cast their ballots at Terai-Madhesh Hall. Pahad Hall has been designated for delegates from Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces, as well as representatives of the Nepali Public Relations Committee and affiliated organisations.
Delegates are prohibited from taking mobile phones and similar devices into polling areas. Following the completion of candidate registration and the withdrawal process, the Election Committee has published the final list of candidates.
The election will determine the party’s president, vice presidents, general secretaries, joint general secretaries and central committee members. The Nepali Congress has amended its statute to expand the Central Working Committee to 297 members.
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