President Ram Chandra Paudel on Monday took an oath of office and secrecy.

At a special ceremony at Sheetal Niwas, the President’s Office, Acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki administered the oath to Paudel.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina and other high-ranking government officials were also present on the occasion.

Nepali Congress senior leader Paudel was elected the third President of the country on Thursday, defeating Subas Chandra Nembang of the CPN-UML. Out of 52,628 weightage-based votes, Paudel secured 33,802 while Nembang got 15,518 votes.

Former Speaker and multiple-time minister, President Paudel has traversed a long political journey to make it to the country’s highest state position.

He spent over a decade in jail. He has, till now, become a lawmaker six times, a minister five times, and Speaker for one term.