Kathmandu, April 5 (NationPress) Dol Prasad Aryal, the vice-president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has been officially elected as the Speaker of Nepal's House of Representatives, having been the only candidate nominated for the position.

During a session of the lower house on Sunday, the senior-most lawmaker, Arjun Narsingh KC, announced Aryal's unopposed election. He marks the 10th Speaker of the lower house and is noted as the first non-communist to assume this role in almost twenty years.

With the RSP commanding a substantial near two-thirds majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, Aryal's ascent to the role was anticipated by many as a mere formality.

In the recent elections conducted on March 5, the RSP emerged as the predominant party in the lower house, winning 182 seats and demonstrating a significant shift of public sentiment against traditional political entities.

Aryal successfully secured his seat in the lower house from the Kathmandu-9 constituency, defeating his nearest rival, Nanumaya Bastola of the Nepali Congress, by a significant margin.

Born in Maidi (now Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality) in the Dhading district, which borders Kathmandu, the 51-year-old leader has a story of humble beginnings.

Relocating to Kathmandu in pursuit of employment in the early 1990s, Aryal began his professional journey as a laborer, eventually working in restaurants before heading to Japan in 1996 for overseas employment.

He spent close to eight years in Japan, and upon returning to Nepal, Aryal engaged in several business ventures, including tourism, education, cooperatives, and remittance services.

His entrepreneurial pursuits include associations with Sumire Tours and Travels, Yokohama Japanese Language Academy, HEMS School, Jansagar Savings and Credit Cooperative, and EasyLink Remittance, where he has held various executive roles including director and CEO.

Aryal is a founding member and vice-chairperson of the RSP and has also acted as the party's chair during a critical period when party president Rabi Lamichhane faced legal challenges over alleged irregularities in cooperatives.

He entered Parliament after being elected in the 2022 general elections via the proportional representation system. He briefly served twice as the Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, with both terms cut short due to the formation of multiple coalition governments under former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, as no single party achieved a majority in the previous lower house.

With the Speaker now in position, the focus shifts to the role of Deputy Speaker. According to constitutional regulations, either the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker must be a woman, and the two posts must be occupied by members from different political parties.

The Nepali Congress has indicated its intention to claim the position as the main opposition party, while the newly established Shram Sanskriti Party, led by former Dharan mayor Harka Rai, has also announced its plan to nominate a female candidate.

Given the strong presence of the RSP in Parliament, its backing is anticipated to be crucial in determining the next Deputy Speaker, a role that wields significant influence within the Constitutional Council, which is responsible for key appointments to constitutional bodies.