KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday consulted with its former officials and secretaries to prepare for the upcoming House of Representatives and National Assembly elections.
The meeting, held at the EC central office on Kantipath, aimed to draw on past experiences to make the elections free, fair, impartial, secure, and cost-effective.
The consultations come ahead of the February 21 House of Representatives elections and the National Assembly elections scheduled for January 25, 2026, for 19 seats, following the formation of an interim government in line with the Gen-Z movement’s sentiments.
The meeting was chaired by Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari and attended by Election Commissioners Sagun Shamsher Jabra and Dr. Janaki Tuladhar, former Chief Election Commissioners Surya Prasad Shrestha, Nilkantha Upreti, Dolakha Bahadur Gurung, and former secretaries Madhu Regmi, Bharat Mani Subedi, Suresh Adhikari, and Ravi Raj Pant.
At the start of the consultation, EC Secretary Mahadev Pantha explained that the session was organized to exchange experiences on managing past elections, addressing challenges, and finding solutions. He confirmed that all vacant positions in the commission offices across the country have been filled to ensure the elections proceed on schedule and that security arrangements are already underway.
“Experience-sharing helps improve election management and encourages innovative approaches. The knowledge and experience of former officials are invaluable,” Pantha said. “The upcoming elections are not only a constitutional duty but also the cornerstone of democratic practice.”
The commission currently has 125 registered political parties, with several others in the registration process. Three new parties have registered in the current fiscal year, according to Secretary Pantha.
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