Govt tables two election-related bills in House of Representatives

KATHMANDU: The government has presented two bills in the House of Representatives aimed at replacing ordinances issued for election-related purposes.

In Wednesday’s meeting of the lower house, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam tabled the “House of Representatives Election (First Amendment) Bill, 2026” and the “Voter List (First Amendment) Bill, 2026” on behalf of Prime Minister Balen Shah.

A proposal seeking permission to present the bills was earlier passed by a majority in the House.

According to Minister Gautam, the Voter List (First Amendment) Bill has been introduced to maintain legal provisions related to voter registration, collection, and updating in cases where the House of Representatives is dissolved before completing its term and elections are announced.

She said the bill ensures continuity of arrangements previously introduced through ordinances for election purposes.

Similarly, the House of Representatives Election (First Amendment) Bill has been brought forward to ensure proportional representation based on population percentages of Dalit, Indigenous nationalities, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu, and Muslim communities.

The government stated that the bill aims to refine electoral provisions in line with demographic representation principles.

The next meeting of the House has been scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 AM.