NC's 14th Gen Convention begins today

KATHMANDU, December 10: The 14th General Convention of Nepali Congress is beginning in the federal capital on Friday. The inaugural session of the convention is set to kick-off at Bhrikutimandap at 1:00 PM. 

According to the NC party office, all preparations for the general convention have been completed. “For the inauguration, a stage to accommodate 150 people has been set at Bhrikutimandap,” said office secretary, Dr Pradip Parajuli, adding that the participants were not invited from outside the Kathmandu Valley in view of COVID-19.

It is said representatives of Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress I from India, and chiefs of almost all political parties in Nepal will attend the inaugural session.

For the convenience of the audience, five big screens have been fixed. Similarly, a separate stage is made for media reporting. Media persons along with 60 video cameras can be adjusted to the stage. Sound system has also been fixed at different places. 

The venue and the vicinity are decorated with party flags and the election symbol, Tree. There are multiple welcome gates. Banners of the candidates are other sights.

A total of 4,700 general convention representatives are attending the event. 

Adequate security arrangements have been ensured for the national convention. 

The filing of candidacy is slated from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Friday while the claim and objection to the candidacy can be made from 5:00pm to 7:00pm the same day. The decision on the claim and objection on candidacy is made from 7:00pm to 9:00pm Friday.

The first name list of the candidates would be published from 9:00 PM to 12:00 midnight.One can withdraw candidacy by 11:00 AM Saturday. The final name list of the candidates will be published by 12:15 PM. 

The voting for the new leadership in the general convention begins from 8:00pm on Sunday, according to election committee coordinator Gopal Krishna Ghimire.

The vote counting for the party president will begin immediately after completion of voting. In case the second round of election is to be held for party president, it would be held immediately in Rastriya Sabha Griha, Bhrikutimandap. Further programmes on elections would be made public at the voting centre itself.

After the voting is over for officer bearers and members, the ballot boxes would be sealed and kept safely in the presence of representatives of the candidates. The vote count except for the President would be conducted at the party office, Sanepa.

Inaugural session of the general convention would be held at Bhrikutimandap on December 10 (Friday), while voting would be held at Bhrikutimandap and Rastriya Sabha Griha.

There are 29 types of ballot papers. The colour varies as per position. It is said that mobile phones are not allowed at the voting centre.