EC announces HoR election schedule

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 7: The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives (HoR), slated for March 5, 2026. 

Spokesperson for the Election Commission Narayan Prasad Bhattarai has informed that the necessary procedures for holding the election will be carried out on time as per the newly approved schedule. 

In a statement issued on Monday, the EC outlined a detailed timeline for the election process. 

The Election Commission informed that political parties intending to contest the elections must officially register at the EC between November 17 and 26. 

The Commission emphasised that only those parties which complete registration within the prescribed period will be eligible to participate in the election.

Similarly, offices of the election officers for the first-past-the-post election will be set up from January 16, 2016. 

Likewise, electoral campaigns by political parties and candidates will be permitted from February 15 to March 2, after which a ‘silent period’ will be imposed to ensure fairness in the lead-up to voting, the EC informed. 

The voting for the HoR election will take place on March 5, 2025, from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Once the ballots from both the first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems are collected, vote counting will begin immediately, the statement read. 

In terms of the proportional representation system, the election officer’s offices will be established on December 1, with political parties required to submit their closed lists on January 2 and 3, 2026. 

The Commission also emphasised the importance of cooperation with political parties and other stakeholders. To facilitate this, consultations and discussions will take place regularly throughout the election process.

The EC also reiterated that all political parties intending to participate in the March 5 elections must complete their registration by November 16 to comply with existing legal requirements.

The election of the House of Representatives was announced by the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki on 12 following the dissolution of the HoR the same day, following the Gen-Z uprising of September 8 and 9. The movement led by youths has reshaped political dynamics in the country. 

The scheduled HoR election marks a turning point in Nepal’s political future, with a heightened focus on youth-led political change.

As the nation braces for a new wave of elections, all eyes are on how the Gen-Z movement and its political leaders, like Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah and Dharan Sub-Metropolitan Mayor Harka Sampang, will impact the political course of the country. 

Mayor Sampang had already applied to the Election Commission for the registration of a new party. He has submitted an application for party registration with Harka Bahadur Rai as the coordinator. The proposed name of the party is Shram Sanskriti Party. 

However, Shah has not announced any new party.