KATHMANDU: Sharp divisions among political parties surfaced on Monday over the feasibility of holding the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026, as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) demanded a firm guarantee of peace and security, while the CPN-UML openly questioned whether elections are possible under the current situation.
Speaking at a discussion on election law and management convened by Prime Minister Sushila Karki at Singha Durbar, RSP leader Shishir Khanal said his party supports holding elections on the government-declared date but stressed that security is a non-negotiable precondition.
Khanal recalled that RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane has already made the party’s position clear that the country should seek a political exit through elections, not parliamentary restoration. However, he said elections cannot be credible without assured security for voters, candidates and political leaders.
“Elections require peace and security. The safety of party leaders, candidates and voters must be guaranteed. We are ready to go to elections, but the government must first ensure security,” he said.
In contrast, UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet said the ground reality suggests elections on March 5 are unlikely. Addressing the same meeting, Basnet pointed to the ongoing Gen-Z protest at Maitighar Mandala even as the discussion was in progress. “If protests are happening at this very moment in Kathmandu, one can easily imagine the situation across the country,” he said.
Basnet said those injured during the unrest on September 8 are yet to receive proper treatment, while uncertainty continues over the reconstruction of public and private structures vandalized on September 9. “Are we supposed to head into elections while watching burned structures stand unattended?” he asked.
Sharing his personal ordeal, Basnet said his own house was set on fire during the violence, forcing him to live in a rented home. “Should I go for election campaigning while looking at my burned house? Is an election possible when state structures lie destroyed?” he questioned.
He also accused the government of failing to act seriously on looted weapons and escaped prisoners. “Where are the weapons? Where are the prisoners? Isn’t it the government’s responsibility to find them?” Basnet asked.
Reiterating UML’s demand for the restoration of the House dissolved on September 12, Basnet said the party has already challenged the government’s legitimacy at the Supreme Court. He claimed that if elections are not held within six months, parliamentary restoration would be inevitable. “Our conclusion is clear: elections will not be held on March 5,” he said, accusing the government of bringing ordinances through unconstitutional means that undermine the prospects of a free and fair poll.
During the discussion, Gen-Z representatives raised a different but equally contentious issue, urging the government to take an immediate decision on digital voting. Speaking on behalf of the movement, Sagar Dhakal said state institutions, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Election Commission, have been passing responsibility from one body to another.
“The Supreme Court has already cleared the way. Millions of citizens abroad want to vote. This is also a core demand of the Gen-Z movement,” Dhakal said, adding that despite submitting reports with concrete suggestions, authorities continue to deflect responsibility. “We are being treated like a football. Who is responsible?” he asked, urging the government not to delay digital voting under various pretexts.
Gen-Z activist Bhawana Raut echoed the concern, questioning why discussions that should have taken place immediately after government formation are only being held now. She said the problem is not technical incapacity but lack of political will, and stressed that if overseas voting is not possible immediately, inter-district voting must be ensured without conditions to protect citizens’ voting rights.
Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress firmly pressed for holding elections on the scheduled date. Addressing the meeting, Congress Joint General Secretary Mahendra Yadav urged the government not to alter the election timeline, saying the party is fully prepared and has already begun candidate recommendation processes.
“From the President to the security agencies, everyone says elections must be held. The people want elections. This is the way out,” Yadav said. However, he accused the government of undermining the electoral environment by imposing movement restrictions on certain leaders.
Yadav said merely announcing an election date is not enough and warned that without improving the security situation and correcting certain provisions, elections may not be credible. He objected to the withdrawal of security from former ministers and senior leaders, warning that the government would be responsible if any untoward incident occurs.
Despite Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal’s repeated claims that the environment for elections is ready, Yadav said ground realities suggest otherwise, noting that even former election commissioners have expressed doubts. Still, he said if elections are held, it would be a positive outcome for both political parties and the Gen-Z movement, as the people would ultimately decide who deserves representation in Parliament.
The high-level discussion at Singha Durbar, attended by the Prime Minister, senior ministers, the Election Commission and political leaders, underscored growing uncertainty over whether the country can move toward elections as planned or be pushed further into constitutional and political confrontation.
Comment