Deputy Speaker Rana tenders her resignation

KATHMANDU: Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Indira Rana has resigned from her position.

As per past practice and the existing laws, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker remain in office till one day before the filing of nominations for the first past the post (FPTP) vote in the next elections. In line with this provision, Speaker Devraj Ghimire is preparing to step down on January 19—a day before the filing of nominations for the House of Representatives elections—according to his personal secretariat.

However, Rana submitted her resignation on Sunday itself.

The Election Commission has set Sunday and Monday as the deadline for submitting closed proportional representation lists for the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.

Federal Parliament Secretariat spokesperson Ekram Giri said then Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota had stepped down on the day before the filing of direct candidacy nominations for the 2022 general elections.

Article 91, Clause 6(a) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, states that in the event of the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker in office shall remain in their positions until the day before nominations are filed for the next election to the House of Representatives.

President Ram Chandra Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki on September 12.