Nepal's parliament to elect new president next week

KATHMANDU: Nepal's Parliament today began the process of electing the country's next president as per the the newly-promulgated Constitution.

With the promulgation of the Constitution on September 20, it was required to elect a new president within a month of the commencement of the Parliament session.

The date for electing the new president and vice president has been fixed for October 27, parliament sources said.

As per the schedule finalised by Parliament today the political parties have been given a deadline till tomorrow afternoon to come up with consensus candidates for the posts of president and vice president.

If no consensus is reached among the parties the election for the new president and vice president will take place on Wednesday, Parliament Speaker Onsari Gharti said.

Incumbent president Ram Baran Yadav was elected as the first president of Nepal in 2008 after the country was declared a republic.