Kathmandu, April 10 -- Nepal on Friday elected 26-year-old Rubi Kumari Thakur as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Nepalese Parliament.

Thakur was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Shram Sanskriti Party in the March 5 election.

During the voting held in Parliament on Friday, Thakur secured 229 votes, while her rival candidate, Saraswoti Lama of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, received five votes.

A total of 22 votes were cast as "none of the above." Out of the 275-member House, 256 lawmakers participated in the voting.

Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal formally announced Thakur's election and extended congratulations.

The 26-year-old was backed by the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party as well as major opposition...