KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sushila Karki held talks with officials of the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday regarding preparations for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026.
At the meeting in Singha Durbar, acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari and fellow commissioners discussed the need for legal amendments, logistical arrangements, and resource mobilization to ensure the polls are conducted on time.
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anil Kumar Sinha, who was also present, said discussions focused on identifying possible obstacles and addressing them in advance.
EC spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai described the meeting as the beginning of a broader coordination effort with the government. He stressed that both the EC and the government were committed to conducting the elections in a free, fair, impartial, and cost-effective manner.
The commission has already requested amendments to the Voter Roll Act (2016) to allow registration ahead of the election. As of mid-October 2025, Nepal has 18.16 million registered voters.
Earlier, on September 18, the EC had also met Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal to discuss security and legal provisions. Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the government and EC are exploring ways to extend voting rights to Nepalis living abroad.
The interim government under former Chief Justice Karki announced the election date in the wake of the September 8–9 Gen-Z protests, which had intensified political uncertainty.
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