Nepal to hold National Assembly elections on Feb. 8

KATHMANDU, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Election for Nepal's National Assembly, also known as the Upper House of the Federal Parliament, will be held on Feb. 8, authorities have announced.

An emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers presided over by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba made the decision as per the recommendation of the Election Commission, Commerce Minister Min Bishwakarma told the media.

The decision has come nearly a week after the country's President Bidya Devi Bhandari approved the National Assembly Act to pave way for holding the elections for the National Assembly, authorities said on Friday evening.

The National Assembly will have a total of 59 members. Of them, 56 will be elected by an electoral college comprising assembly members of the seven provinces and chiefs and deputy chiefs of municipalities and rural municipalities. Similarly, three will be nominated by the president as per the recommendation of the government.

The government's decision to hold the National Assembly elections has come after the Himalayan nation concluded elections to the House of Representatives, the lower house, and Provincial Assembly simultaneously in two phases on Nov. 26 and Dec. 7 last year. Enditem