Paramananda Jha elected vice president; re-polling for president on Monday

The meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Saturday night formally declared Paramananda Jha as the Nepal's first vice president.

Jha is from Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF). He bagged 305 votes out of 578. His closest competitor, Shanta Shrestha of CPN-Maoist secured 243 votes.

As none of the three presidential candidates were able to secure a clear majority of 298 votes, the CA has decided to re-poll for the post of the first president of republican Nepal on Monday.

Presidential candidates Dr. Rambaran Yadav of the Nepali Congress and Ramraja Prasad Singh of the CPN-Maoist secured 283 and 270 votes, respectively.

A total of 578 votes were cast in presidential and vice-presidential election. Sixteen CA members were absent in the historical election of Nepal's first president and vice president.