Entrepreneur Anjan Shrestha has become the president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. According to the legal provisions of the federation, Shrestha, who was the senior vice president from the 60th general assembly, has automatically become the president. This is the last term in which the senior vice president will automatically become the president based on the provisions of the statute. Shrestha is scheduled to take oath and assume office on Thursday. He will lead the federation for the next three years. 

Elections were held in the general assembly that began on Monday on Tuesday. 137 people had filed nominations for 73 posts in the election. Sub-section 3 of Section 29 of the federation statute states that ‘Notwithstanding anything written in Sub-section 29.2, the senior vice president in office at the time of the implementation of this statute shall automatically become the president for the next one term and then there shall be a direct election of the president of the federation’. 

The office bearers have been elected through the elections held for 73 posts, including four vice presidents, on the occasion of the general assembly. Elections were held in the general assembly that began on Monday on Tuesday. 137 people had filed nominations for 73 posts in the election.

Chief Election Officer Leelamani Poudel said that a separate notification will be issued for the senior vice-president and treasurer. ‘The process for the senior vice-president will move forward after the elected working committee takes office,’ he said, ‘There is a provision for the president to nominate seven people. If the president nominates on Thursday, the election process for the senior vice-president and treasurer will move forward.’ 

Poudel said that 89 of the elected people will be able to vote for the treasurer and 82 for the senior vice-president. The newly appointed president Shrestha pledged to redefine the relationship between the private sector and the government during his tenure. Addressing the general assembly of the federation, he said that the government will continuously take initiatives to create an environment where the private sector is considered a collaborator, not a witness. Shrestha said that the federation will work with the government on issues such as increasing investment and increasing demand as the economy is in a challenging situation. 

‘A new government has come, we will work together with the government. The government has said that it will ensure good governance. "They are moving forward in a hurry," Shrestha said, adding, "The morale of businessmen is low. The first thing we need to do is to increase morale. We need to increase investment." He also said that the federation will take the lead in resolving problems such as the tendency to view business disputes as criminal offenses, the lack of advance deposit facilities, and the slow process of dispute resolution.

Chairman Shrestha claims to take concrete initiatives to increase private investment in Nepal, activate domestic investment, invest domestic capital in productive sectors, and engage in regular dialogue with the government to create a policy environment that facilitates foreign investment.  

Chairman Shrestha claims to take concrete initiatives to increase private investment in Nepal, activate domestic investment, invest domestic capital in productive sectors and engage in regular dialogue with the government to create a policy environment that facilitates foreign investment. Krishna Prasad Sharma and Dilsunder Shrestha have been elected as vice-presidents of the district/city industry and commerce group, Naresh Lal Shrestha as vice-president of the commodity group, and Prabal Jung Pandey as vice-president of the associate group. Prayas Karki, Arjun Kumar Shrestha, Ujjwal Prasad Kasaju, Keshav Prasad Bhandari, Krishna Katuwal, Gokul Shrestha, Chhatradhar Atreya, Tara Bahadur Karki, Deepak Nepal, Mohan Prasad Shrestha, Laxman Raj Poudel, Shankar Giri, Santosh Khadka, Sudarshan Karki and Hari Prasad Aryal have been elected as the working committee members of the District Municipal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There were 22 candidates for 17 posts in the open election for the working committee members of the District Municipal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Geeta Amatya and Hira Bhattarai have been elected as the female members of the District Municipal Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The members of the District/City Industry and Commerce Group's Working Committee are Jeevan Parajuli and Ramesh BK from Koshi, Bikash Kumar Sarada and Amarnath Shah from Madhesh, Sabin Shrestha and Prakash Manandhar from Bagmati, Pavinda Kumar Shrestha and Subin Shrestha from Gandaki, Yagya Prasad Bhattarai and Bal Krishna Subedi from Lumbini, and Pitambar Joshi from Sudurpaschim. Padam Bahadur Shahi and Purichandra Devkota were unopposed in Karnali.

The members in terms of substance are Araniko Rajbhandari, Naniraj Ghimire, Rabin Puri, Rajkumar Karki, Sangharsh Bista, Pashupatidev Pandey, Bidur Dhamala, Bhakta Bahadur Hamal, Lilendra Prasad Pradhan, Sagar Dhakal and Hom Prasad Ghimire. Similarly, Nirajan Bahadur Chalaune, Raghunandan Maru, Biplav Adhikari and Suraj Banjade have got equal 50/50 votes.

Although it was said that 1 of them would be decided by lottery, no decision has been made. There were 26 candidates for 13 posts. Sunita Nemhaphuki has been elected as a working committee member. Bishwanath Khanal and Sunaina Ghimire have won as members of the federation's working committee in the substantive section. 

17 working committee members have been elected as associate members. Sachin Dhakal, Hemant Golchha, Ambika Prasad Poudel, Ujjwal Kumar Shrestha, Shakti Kumar Begani, Rishi Agrawal, Sushil Thapa, Rajesh Kumar Agrawal, Suyash Pyakurel, Ram Sharan Bhandari, Babukaji Karki, Diwas Neupane, Krishnalal Maharjan, Priyaraj Regmi, Ishwor Bahadur GC, Suraj Upreti and Batu Lamichhane have been elected. There were 33 candidates for these 17 posts. Abhinya Malla and Juna Mathema have been elected as female members in the associate section. There were two contenders for the post of vice-president. There were 4 candidates for women members.