Nepal names ex-poll chief as new envoy to India

The Nepal government today named former chief election commissioner Nilkantha Upreti as the new ambassador to India, filling the long-vacant top position.

According to Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, a meeting of the Cabinet held today decided to recommend Upreti and as the new envoy to India.

The post had remained vacant for almost a year. It had fallen vacant following the resignation of Deep Kumar Upadhyay in October 2017.

Former envoy Upadhyaya, who is also a senior leader of Nepali Congress party, had quit to contest the last year's federal parliamentary election.

Upadhayay was appointed during former prime minister Sushil Koirala-led government in April 2015. He was recalled by the subsequent government headed by the CPN-UML's K P Sharma Oli in May 2016 on charge of working against the country's interest. He was reappointed by Prachanda's government.

Upreti's name will now be sent to a Parliamentary committee for approval which then will forward it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The Nepal's MFA will then send it to its Indian counterpart Ministry of External Affairs for an agreemo. Once approved and agreemo signed, the MFA will send Upreti's name to the President of Nepal for the presidential order.