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President Ram Chandra Paudel took oath of office and secrecy on Monday. Acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki administered the oath of office and secrecy to Paudel amidst a special ceremony held in Sheetal Niwas this afternoon. Outgoing President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, former President Ram Baran Yadav and former ministers were present in the program. Paudel was elected as the President on March 9. He defeated CPN-UML candidate Subash Chandra Nembang to become the President.    

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane has clarified that his party is not making any preparations to join the government immediately. Talking to journalists here today, he said that they are busy evaluating the contemporary situation of the country. "We are not making any preparations to join the government but are busy assessing the evolving situation", he noted. "There is no internal discussion in the party whether or not to join the incumbent government", he added. The President admitted that the political exercise of his party was in the formative stage. On a query about their future move when RSP has not withdrawn its support to the government, he said that the party would discuss this issue in the meeting.  

The Election Commission will publish the final name list of the candidates vying for the election to the post of Vice-President by 5 pm today. Four people have filed their nominations for the election and the Office of the Election Commissioner is scheduled to publish the final name list today. According to the Office, prior to the publication of the name list, some procedures such as assessment of the nominations and complaints filed over them, publication of the preliminary name list, and withdrawal of candidacy will take place. The election of the Vice-President is taking place on March 17. Earlier, the Election Commission directed the election officers to ensure the registration of nominations that are different from the gender or community of the newly elected President.

Various political parties have started a protest expressing dissatisfaction over the naming of Province 1. Normal life in Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa districts has been affected due a bandh enforced by the Janata Samajbadi Party and Federal Limbuwan Party among others. Markets and shops pulled down their shutters from early morning in the districts while vehicles stayed off the roads. Janata Samajbadi Party central member Bhim Rai said that they were forced to enforce the bandh after their identity movement was ignored by naming Province 1 as Koshi Province forcefully. Janata Samajbadi Party another leader Sagar Chemjong has warned of stern protests if their demands are not addressed. The parties have mobilized hundreds of cadres on the streets to make bandh successful. Province 1 officially adopted Koshi as its new name on March 1.