World News | 81-year-old Nepalese Lawmaker Becomes Oldest House of Representatives Member

Kathmandu, Dec 21 (PTI) Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, an 81-year-old politician, took the oath of office and secrecy before Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday, becoming the oldest lawmaker in the Himalayan nation.

Rana, leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, took the oath at the President's Office Sheetal Niwas, as per the constitutional provision. It is customary for the House of Representatives members to take the oath of office from the senior-most member.

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At the oath-taking ceremony, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) Chairman KP Sharma Oli, and National Assembly Chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsina were present, among others.

Rana was born on December 9, 1941.

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As the oldest House of Representatives member, the former minister will have to conduct the proceedings of the House until the Speaker and Deputy Speakers are elected.

He will administer the oath of office and secrecy to other lawmakers on Thursday.

In a brief conversation with media persons after assuming office, Rana, said that the role of the Speaker should be neutral and clear. He assured that he will play an impartial role as the speaker and the senior-most member of parliament, MyRepublica newspaper quoted him as saying.

Rana said that he will coordinate with all political parties for the welfare of the country and promised to promote the spirit of democracy and the multiparty system in parliament, the report said.

The RPP formally split in 2017 after Rana registered a new party — Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Democratic but unified in 2019, the Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)