KATHMANDU: Election for the member of the National Assembly (NA) has started in all seven states.

State-3 Chief Minister Dormani Poudel has cast the first vote in the polling center at Lalitpur metropolis ward-4 committee building under the Bagmati State.

Altogether six candidates, including three each in ‘women’ and ‘other’ groups are in election race in the Bagmati State. The State has a total of 348 votes including 110 State Assembly members and 238 local level members.

Returning officers and security personnel have already reached all the voting centers. A total of 45 candidates from six political parties are contesting in the election.

Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said that voting would take place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Thursday for 18 National Assembly member posts.

State assembly members, mayors, and deputy-mayors of municipalities and chairperson and vice-chairpersons of rural municipalities of the districts, where the election is taking place, have already reached the district headquarters to cast votes, according to the Election Commission.

The NA election is taking place in the district headquarters, where high courts of seven states are located, are Morang, Dhanusha, Lalitpur, Kaski, Dang, Surkhet, and Doti.

District judges of these districts have already been assigned as returning officers.

A total of 2,056 voters, including 550 state assembly members and 1,506 mayors, deputy-mayors, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of local levels will cast votes.

According to the EC, all necessary security arrangements have been made smooth and reliable.

The EC said that the weightage of a vote of State Assembly member has been determined 48 while one vote of mayor, deputy-mayor of municipalities and chairperson and vice-chairperson of rural municipalities carries a weight of 18.

The term of 19 members of 59-memebr National Assembly is terminating on March 3. The election is taking place to elect 18 new members of the 19 National Assembly members whose term is ending on March 3.