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The Karnali Province government got full shape on Thursday after three newly appointed ministers of the Nepali Congress took oath of office and secrecy. Bedraj Singh, Khadga Bahadur Pokharel and Krishna Kumar BC took oath of office and secrecy this afternoon. Singh was appointed as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning while Pokharel and BC were appointed as the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Tourism, Forest and Environment respectively. Meanwhile, Urmila Bishwokarma, who was earlier appointed as the state minister for Energy, also sworn in as the Minister for Energy. The number of ministries in the Karnali Province has also been made eight.  

The silence period for the by-election to the House of Representatives will come into effect from Thursday midnight. The by-election is taking place in Tanahun-1, Bara-1 and Chitwan-2 on April 23. The Election Code of Conduct, 2079, issued by the Election Commission on April 7 for the by-election has made provision for a silence period from 48 hours before the voting day until the voting is closed in order to hold the election in a free, fair and fearless environment. Assistant Spokesperson at the EC Surya Prasad Aryal said that the silence period will come into effect from midnight today till the polls are closed on April 23. Election campaigning and any type of discussion, interaction, assemblies, workshops and gatherings are prohibited during the silence period. The EC has drawn the attention of all not to solicit votes through online, social networking sites, print or any medium in favor or against any candidate or party. The EC urged the concerned sides not to publish and broadcast any press release or any content related to prediction about the victory or defeat of a candidate through media, including social sites.    

Senior leaders of the ruling alliance are scheduled to address an election assembly in Chitwan on Thursday. Organized by the left-democratic alliance, the election assembly will be held at Kalika Municipality-4 in East Chitwan, targeting the April 23 by-election, said Surya Aryal, secretary of the Nepali Congress, Chitwan. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and former PMs—Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and Janata Samajwadi Chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai are scheduled to address the assembly, he said. Similarly, NC leaders including Bishwo Prakash Sharma and Dr Shekhar Koirala will also address the gathering, he added. NC's Jit Narayan Shrestha from the alliance is contesting from Chitwan constituency 2 in the by-election.  

The Election Commission has published the names of 74 candidates contesting last year's November 20 parliamentary election but not submitting the details of the election expenses within the stipulated time. Among them, 37 were contesting for the House of Representatives seat while remaining 37 for the Province Assembly, according to the Commission. They are subjected to clarification, said the Commission according to which, they ought to make public the details within seven days with an explanation of justification and inform the election offices in concerned districts and provinces. According to the House of Representatives Member Election Act, and the Province Assembly Member Election Act-2074 BS, political parties or candidates must submit their expenses statement to the office designated by the Commission along with the bill of expenses incurred in the election within the 35 days from the date of announcement of the final results of the election.