Voter registration sees sharp rise nationwide

By Arpana Adhikari,Kathmandu, Nov. 7: Voter registration across the country has increased in recent weeks ahead of the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5, 2026, according to the Election Commission (EC).

EC spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai informed on Thursday that within just 42 days of the voter registration drive, a total of 136,060 (male 81,864, female 54,178 and others 18) new voters have been added to the electoral roll. 

The number of new registrations has been rising steadily, with 11,197 voters added on Thursday alone, the highest single-day addition since the registration campaign began on September 25.

By Wednesday, the EC had recorded 124,865 new registrations, which grew further on Thursday as additional centers were opened to handle the influx. 

Bhattarai noted that the registration rate has significantly increased since mid-October, when the total stood at less than half of the current figure.

The highest numbers of new registrations have been reported from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Parsa districts. 

To address the growing number of people seeking voter registration, the District Election Office in Kathmandu has expanded its registration facilities from five to 10 centres, while the EC has also deployed more manpower and resources to manage the workload.

Bhattarai said the surge in registrations can be attributed to widespread awareness campaigns organised by the EC and various civic groups, including the Gen Z-led groups, which has been urging young citizens to register their names in the voter list. 

Following the growing number of citizens seeking voter registration, the EC has requested all local governments to support the voter registration and updating process

The EC has been seeking assistance from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration for coordination and publicity, said Bhattarai. 

Similarly, on Thursday, Minister for Home Affairs Om Prakash Aryal used social media to encourage citizens to register their names and verify their inclusion in the voters’ list ahead of the March, 2026, elections. Number of youth seeking voter registration is also increasing outside the Kathmandu Valley 

According to our Nepalgunj correspondent, in Banke district, voter registration has seen an enthusiastic response, particularly among first-time and young voters. 

Election Officer Tek Bahadur Shahi said that since the campaign began on September 25, a total of 4,193 new voters, including 2,076 men and 2,117 women have registered. About 60 per cent of these are youths.

Shahi said the District Election Office is handling over 300 registrations daily through four computers. 

Similarly, in Khotang district, the number of young registrants has also risen. According to District Election Office Chief Rabin Magar, 948 new voters, about 90 per cent of them Gen-Z youth, have registered between September 25 and November 6. 

The EC has stated that voter registration will remain open until November 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except on public holidays. 

Citizens can register from any district or provincial election office across the country by submitting an online form and completing biometric verification in person.

Citizens turning 18 by March 4, 2026, are eligible to register, with the deadline for updating voters details set for November 16, 2025.

Normally, voter registration updates are suspended once elections are announced. However, a recent ordinance issued by the President has amended this provision, allowing the process to continue in preparation for the polls.

It was projected that 18,168,230 citizens would have reached voting age by November 2, 2025. As of mid-April, 18,148,654 voters had already been registered, an increase of roughly 160,000 compared to the 2022 general elections.