KATHMANDU, March 12 -- CPN (Maoist Center) lawmaker Narayan Prasad Dahal has been elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly after defeating Nepali Congress (NC) candidate Yuvraj Sharma.

Dahal secured 39 votes while Sharma secured 17 votes during the election held at the National Assembly meeting at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwor. A total of 56 of the 59 lawmakers were present at the National Assembly meeting on Tuesday.

Dahal was supported by lawmakers from the Maoist Center, CPN-UML, CPN (Unified Socialist), and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). Similarly, NC candidate Sharma was supported by Loktantrik Samajbadi Party.

The post of National Assembly Chairman fell vacant after the six-year term of incumbent Chairman G...