Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Polling officials check ballot boxes as they prepare a booth on the eve of Nepal’s parliamentary elections in Kathmandu on March 4, 2026.
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Voting began in Nepal on Thursday to elect a new parliament, months after deadly anti-corruption protests brought down the government, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the country’s established political leadership and a rising youth movement. Key contenders include a former prime minister seeking a return to power, a rapper-turned-mayor appealing to younger voters, and the newly elected leader of the influential Nepali Congress party.
When will the voting begin?
Voting begins at 07:00 am (6:45 IST) and the election is widely seen as one of the most fiercely contested in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people since the end of its civil war in 2006.
Nearly 19 million voters are expected to cast their ballots to decide who will replace the interim government that has been in place since the September 2025 uprising, during which at least 77 people were killed and parliament along with several government buildings were set ablaze.
How does Nepal’s electoral system work?
Members of Nepal’s House of Representatives are elected through a mixed system that combines first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting and proportional representation. Voters cast two ballots on election day, one for an individual candidate in their constituency and another for a political party.
In total, 275 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, are being filled, according to International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
Of these, 165 members are elected through direct constituency contests under the FPTP system, while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on the share of votes each party receives for its party list.
The 165 constituency seats are distributed across Nepal’s seven provinces.
First elections after the Gen Z protests
The youth-led demonstrations, organised loosely under a Gen Z banner, began as protests against a brief social media ban but quickly expanded to reflect broader anger over corruption and a struggling economy.
Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has urged voters to cast their ballots “without any fear”, as thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed to secure polling stations.
‘A changing point for Nepalis’
A wave of younger candidates has entered the race promising to revive Nepal’s weak economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated politics for decades and argue that their experience ensures stability and security.
“We are so hopeful,” said Sashi Gurung, 33, who will vote in Kathmandu.
“This election is not a normal election. This is going to be one of the changing points for Nepalis, for Nepal.”
What are the key areas?
Helicopters have been used to transport voting materials to remote snowbound mountain regions across Nepal, which is home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
However, much attention will be on the farming plains south of Kathmandu, where all three prime ministerial hopefuls are contesting seats , a shift from earlier elections that largely focused on the capital.
KP Sharma Oli, Balendra Shah and other key candidates
One of the key battlegrounds is the usually quiet eastern town of Jhapa, where two major rivals are locked in a direct contest.
KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader who was ousted as prime minister last year and is seeking a comeback, is being challenged in his home constituency by former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician.
The Jhapa-5 constituency, which has about 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli retains his seat or whether Shah enters parliament.
Shah, representing the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has positioned himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change, urging voters to “ring the bell” of change, referring to the party’s election symbol.
Another contender for prime minister is Gagan Thapa, 49, the new leader of Nepal’s oldest political party, the Nepali Congress. He told AFP he wants to end the “old age” club of revolving veteran leaders.
“So many people, including Gen Z, sacrificed their lives,” said Shiv Shrestha, 57, who will vote in Jhapa district.
“There has to be change,” he added. “Corruption must stop, and more employment opportunities should be created here in Nepal. What happened last year should not happen again.”
When to expect the results?
More than 3,400 candidates are contesting 165 seats through direct elections for the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament. Another 110 seats will be allocated through party lists.
Nepal’s rugged mountainous terrain poses logistical challenges in transporting ballot boxes once voting ends.
Results under the proportional representation system are expected to take longer.
Analysts say the election is unlikely to produce a clear majority for any single party.
Final results could take several days, and forming a coalition government may take even longer if negotiations between parties prove difficult. Voting will close at 5:00 pm.
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When will the voting begin?
Voting begins at 07:00 am (6:45 IST) and the election is widely seen as one of the most fiercely contested in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people since the end of its civil war in 2006.
Nearly 19 million voters are expected to cast their ballots to decide who will replace the interim government that has been in place since the September 2025 uprising, during which at least 77 people were killed and parliament along with several government buildings were set ablaze.
How does Nepal’s electoral system work?
Members of Nepal’s House of Representatives are elected through a mixed system that combines first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting and proportional representation. Voters cast two ballots on election day, one for an individual candidate in their constituency and another for a political party.
In total, 275 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, are being filled, according to International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
Of these, 165 members are elected through direct constituency contests under the FPTP system, while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on the share of votes each party receives for its party list.
The 165 constituency seats are distributed across Nepal’s seven provinces.
First elections after the Gen Z protests
The youth-led demonstrations, organised loosely under a Gen Z banner, began as protests against a brief social media ban but quickly expanded to reflect broader anger over corruption and a struggling economy.
Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has urged voters to cast their ballots “without any fear”, as thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed to secure polling stations.
‘A changing point for Nepalis’
A wave of younger candidates has entered the race promising to revive Nepal’s weak economy, challenging veteran politicians who have dominated politics for decades and argue that their experience ensures stability and security.
“We are so hopeful,” said Sashi Gurung, 33, who will vote in Kathmandu.
“This election is not a normal election. This is going to be one of the changing points for Nepalis, for Nepal.”
What are the key areas?
Helicopters have been used to transport voting materials to remote snowbound mountain regions across Nepal, which is home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
However, much attention will be on the farming plains south of Kathmandu, where all three prime ministerial hopefuls are contesting seats , a shift from earlier elections that largely focused on the capital.
KP Sharma Oli, Balendra Shah and other key candidates
One of the key battlegrounds is the usually quiet eastern town of Jhapa, where two major rivals are locked in a direct contest.
KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader who was ousted as prime minister last year and is seeking a comeback, is being challenged in his home constituency by former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician.
The Jhapa-5 constituency, which has about 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli retains his seat or whether Shah enters parliament.
Shah, representing the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has positioned himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change, urging voters to “ring the bell” of change, referring to the party’s election symbol.
Another contender for prime minister is Gagan Thapa, 49, the new leader of Nepal’s oldest political party, the Nepali Congress. He told AFP he wants to end the “old age” club of revolving veteran leaders.
“So many people, including Gen Z, sacrificed their lives,” said Shiv Shrestha, 57, who will vote in Jhapa district.
“There has to be change,” he added. “Corruption must stop, and more employment opportunities should be created here in Nepal. What happened last year should not happen again.”
When to expect the results?
More than 3,400 candidates are contesting 165 seats through direct elections for the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament. Another 110 seats will be allocated through party lists.
Nepal’s rugged mountainous terrain poses logistical challenges in transporting ballot boxes once voting ends.
Results under the proportional representation system are expected to take longer.
Analysts say the election is unlikely to produce a clear majority for any single party.
Final results could take several days, and forming a coalition government may take even longer if negotiations between parties prove difficult. Voting will close at 5:00 pm.
Follow all the updates here:
Mar 05, 2026 6:55:50 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: What issues are at stake?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Apart from corruption, job creation is a key election issue, analysts say, with around a fifth of Nepal’s population living in poverty and youth unemployment remaining high.
Relations with neighbouring India and China are also expected to influence the vote, as the landlocked country tries to balance ties between the two Asian powers, both major trade partners.
India accounts for nearly two-thirds of Nepal’s international trade, while China makes up about 14 percent and has also lent the country more than $130 million, according to the World Bank.
Mar 05, 2026 5:53:29 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: How does Nepal’s electoral system work?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Members of Nepal’s House of Representatives are elected through a mixed system that combines first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting and proportional representation.
Voters cast two ballots on election day, one for an individual candidate in their constituency and another for a political party.
In total, 275 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, are being filled.
Of these, 165 members are elected through direct constituency contests under the FPTP system, while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on the share of votes each party receives for its party list.
The 165 constituency seats are distributed across Nepal’s seven provinces.
Mar 05, 2026 5:48:36 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Which constituency will decide the high-profile contest between key candidates KP Sharma Oli and Balendra Shah?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: The Jhapa-5 constituency, which has around 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli retains his parliamentary seat or whether Shah secures entry into the national legislature.
Mar 05, 2026 5:47:42 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: What triggered the Gen Z protests in Nepal last year?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: The current elections come months after major protests that shook Nepal’s political establishment.
What began as a peaceful protest by thousands of youths on the streets of Kathmandu on September 8 escalated after police opened fire, resulting in 19 deaths and injuries to many others. While the immediate trigger for the protests was the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms, demonstrators were also demanding stronger action against corruption, improved governance and the rule of law.
The following day, larger crowds gathered and targeted key buildings in the capital, including the prime minister’s office, parliament, several ministries and the Supreme Court. Offices of major political parties were set on fire. Protesters also assaulted a former prime minister and his wife, who was serving as foreign minister in the incumbent government.
The unrest soon spread beyond the Kathmandu Valley, with mobs attacking government offices as well as the homes and businesses of prominent politicians. In some areas prisons were broken into, allowing several inmates to escape.
The violence eventually led to the ouster of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Three days later, an interim government led by former chief justice Sushila Karki took office, making her the country’s first woman prime minister. Overall, the protests claimed 77 lives and left more than 2,300 people injured.
Mar 05, 2026 5:46:55 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: When will the results be announced?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Voting will close at 5:00 pm.
However, counting under the proportional representation system is expected to take longer, meaning final results may not be immediately available.
Analysts say the election is unlikely to produce a clear majority for any single party. It may take several days for complete results to be announced – and potentially even longer if negotiations to form a coalition government become complicated.
Mar 05, 2026 5:45:58 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Why are these elections significant after last year’s Gen Z protests?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Nearly 800,000 first-time voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the election, many of whom were believed to be at the forefront of the youth-led protests that pushed the country toward fresh polls.
In total, voters will elect 275 members of parliament through a combination of first-past-the-post voting and proportional representation.
More than 3,400 candidates are contesting the elections, with nearly one-third aged 40 or younger, highlighting the growing influence of younger voices in Nepal’s political landscape.
Mar 05, 2026 5:45:03 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Who are the key candidates to watch?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: One of the most closely watched contests features KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader who was ousted as prime minister last year and is now attempting a political comeback.
He is facing a challenge in his home constituency from Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician and former Kathmandu mayor.
Shah represents the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and has positioned himself as a face of youth-led political change, urging voters to “ring the bell” of change — a reference to the party’s election symbol.
Another contender for the prime minister’s post is Gagan Thapa, 49, the new head of the country’s oldest party, the Nepali Congress. Thapa has said he wants to end what he described as the “old age” club of veteran leaders who have dominated Nepali politics for years.
Kathmandu, the capital city, has 10 parliamentary constituencies. Talking to ANI, Election Officer of Kathmandu-1 Churaman Khadka says, “We are ready for free and fair elections. Through this election, the House of Representatives will be formed with 165 parliamentarians elected under the first past the post system, and the remaining 110 members will be elected under the proportional representative system.”
Mar 05, 2026 5:41:42 AM IST
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: When does polling begin in Nepal?
Nepal General Election 2026 LIVE updates: Polling in Nepal will begin at 07:00 am (6: 45 IST), in what is expected to be one of the most fiercely contested elections in the Himalayan nation of around 30 million people since the end of its civil war in 2006.
Voting will continue through the day across thousands of polling centres before ballots are counted to decide the composition of the next parliament.
