Re-election ordered for Nepal president

Kathmandu, July 19 : A re-election had to be ordered in Nepal on Saturday for the post of president, as none of the three candidates vying for the post could garner a clear majority of at least 298 votes.

According to Kantipur, a meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) today will fix a new date for the presidential post run-off.

Maoist candidate Ram Raja Prasad Singh, Nepali Congress (NC)'s Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML's) Ram Prit Paswan are vying to be Nepal's first president.

Meanwhile Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) candidate Paramananda Jha has been elected the country's first vice president.

Earlier today, the Constituent Assembly members had cast their votes to choose Nepal's first president and vice-president.

Of the total 594 voters registered, 578 Constituent Assembly members cast their ballots while 16 CA members stayed away from the voting centre.

As per the election programme, a re-election will be conducted between the two candidates securing highest number of votes if none of the candidates could garner a clear majority (298 votes).

Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, National People's Front Nepal and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party boycotted the election.

ANI