WORLD NEWS | Ram Chandra Poudel sworn in as President of Nepal

Kathmandu [Nepal]March 13 (ANI): Senior Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel was sworn in as Nepal’s president on Monday.

Paudel, 78, was sworn in by Acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki at a special ceremony at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas.

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A provision in Nepal’s constitution states that the president shall be sworn in secrecy by the chief justice before taking office.

Ram Chandra Paudel was on Thursday elected as the new Nepalese President.

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Podell received 33,802 electoral votes, while his rival Subash Chandra Nembwang received 15,518, according to the Nepal Election Commission.

Also, according to the Nepal Election Commission, 313 members of the federal assembly took part in the vote, while 518 members from the provincial assemblies also took part in the electoral process to elect the next president.

The vote was held at the Nepalese Parliament building in New Baneshwar, Kathmandu. The Election Commission of the Himalayan country has set up two separate polling stations in the lobby for federal MPs and provincial assembly members.

Lawmakers from all provinces have arrived in Kathmandu for elections. The Electoral College consists of 884 members, including 275 members of the House of Representatives, 59 members of the National Assembly, and 550 members of the seven provincial assemblies.

Paudel has the backing of eight political parties, while the sole candidate, Subash Chandra Nembang from CPN-UML, is expected to be backed by independent lawmakers.

Paudel said on Thursday that his experience in governance and the functioning of state institutions made him suitable for the new position.

In a conversation with the ANI, Paudel, who had been speaker of the House of Representatives during the monarchy, said he had gained experience in governance and the functioning of state institutions.

“I’ve also held various government roles earlier, been to the Palace during the monarchy, was Speaker and used to go to the Palace once a week, so the role I’m going to take on won’t be new to me. I’ve also met with former presidents and know the function there. I’m no stranger to the role and responsibilities,” Podle said after the vote early Thursday.

In addition to serving as a former House Speaker, Poddle spent more than a decade in prison. So far, he has been a lawmaker six times and a minister five times. A senior leader of the Nepali Congress, Paudel had lost the intra-party election but now he has been elected the third president of the country. Paudel has the support of ten political parties in Thursday’s election. (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)