EC urges eligible citizens to register for 2026 election

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 26: The Election Commission has called on all eligible citizens to ensure their names are included in the voter list ahead of the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Commission announced that the voter registration and update process will remain open until November 16. 

The voter’s list update process, which had been temporarily suspended, has now officially resumed. The collection of voter registration lists had been suspended from June 30 due to the previously scheduled HoR by-elections in Rupandehi.

According to the Commission, citizens aged 16 and above who possess a valid citizenship certificate are eligible to register. Registration services are available at all district election offices from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on working days, the EC informed. 

In addition to in-person registration, applicants can also begin the process online through the Election Commission's official website (www.election.gov.np) or via the e-registration portal (applyvr.election.gov.np). Biometric data, however, must be submitted in person at district election offices.

The Commission emphasised that only those whose names appear on the final voter list will be allowed to vote in the 2026 elections. It has urged all qualified citizens to register or update their information without delay.

The Commission requests every eligible Nepali citizen to utilise this opportunity to secure their voting rights for the House of Representatives election. By November 2, 2025, the number of voters expected to have reached 18 years of age is projected to be 18,168,230.

The Election Commission reported that as of mid-April, 18,148,654 voters had been registered, an increase of roughly 160,000 compared to the 2022 general elections.

This initiative follows an ordinance issued by President Ramchandra Paudel on Wednesday, which removed the legal restriction that previously barred voter registration following the announcement of elections.

Under the previous law, tens of thousands of young citizens risked being excluded from voting.

Since the EC has resumed the voter list registration process, this ensures that newly eligible voters, especially those who came of age during the Gen Z uprising, can exercise their right to vote.