Kathmandu, June 25: The term of 20 members of the National Assembly, parliament’s upper chamber, expired Monday. The terms of Nepali Congress members Prakash Man Singh, Bhim Bahadur Shrestha,Yog Prasad Upadhaya, Mahendra Kumar Mishra and Ratna Bahadur Bishwakarma Kumar expired Monday. The term of Deputy Chairman of the National Assmebly Chiranjivi Rijal (NC) also expired today.

The terms of Thammaya Thapa and Shanta Manabi from the main opposition Nepal Communist party (Unified Marxist Leninist) also expired Monday. The terms of Basu Deb Bhatta, Jiban Prem Shrestha, Shilu Pyari Shrestha, all Nepali Congress members and Krishna Lal Shrestha, a nominated member by the King, also expired Monday. The term of Minister for Tourism Omkar Shrestha expired too Monday.

The National Assembly has 60 members. Elections for 15 vacant seats are being held Wednesday.A woman representing the Nepali Congress has already  been elected unopposed to the upper chamber from the House of Representatives. Four members are to be nominated by the King. The Nepali Congress which was the largest party in the National Assembly with 24 seats will lose its dominance to the opposition UML which is expected to gain a majority in the upper chamber, analysts said.

Parliament meets for its budget session Monday.