House of Representatives Election 2026: Daily Election Monitoring Report
The Election Commission of Nepal has announced that all preparations for the House of Representatives election have been completed. Speaking at a press conference held on March 4, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari informed that all necessary election materials have already reached polling centers across the country.
He clarified that the Commission has remained fully active to ensure that the election, announced under the special circumstances created after the movement of September 8 and 9, is conducted in a free, fair, transparent, and credible manner. According to Bhandari, voting will take place nationwide on March 5 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Essential materials, including ballot papers and ballot boxes, have been safely delivered to the respective polling centers. He further stated that the construction and management of polling centers have been completed, and that the voting venues have been made gender- and disability-friendly to ensure easy access for all voters.
The Commission has stated that highly reliable security arrangements have been put in place so that voters can freely cast their ballots for the candidate and political party of their choice without obstruction. Bhandari urged the public not to view the election merely as a technical process of selecting representatives or forming a government. He emphasized that through elections, citizens gain a direct opportunity to participate in lawmaking and state governance. The completion of this process, he noted, reflects policy, leadership, and governance and contributes directly to building an inclusive and accountable state. The Commission has therefore appealed to all voters to enthusiastically participate in this historic democratic exercise and exercise their right to vote.
To ensure that the upcoming election is conducted in a free, fair, and fear-free environment, the government has classified polling stations nationwide based on security sensitivity and implemented an integrated security plan. According to Krishna Bahadur Raut, Secretary of the Election Commission, the plan, prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, aims to make security arrangements stricter and more effective.
A total of 10,967 polling stations across the country have been categorized into three levels based on security challenges. Based on analysis of past elections and assessment of the current situation, 3,680 polling stations have been listed as “highly sensitive,” 4,442 as “sensitive,” and 2,845 as “normal.” Secretary Raut clarified that this classification is solely intended to streamline the deployment of security personnel and ensure appropriate security arrangements.
For election security, a three-layer security mechanism will once again be deployed. Under this plan, the innermost “core” perimeter of polling stations will be secured by the Nepal Police. The second perimeter will be the responsibility of the Armed Police Force Nepal, while the outermost perimeter will be guarded by the Nepal Army.
The National Security Council has also decided that no shortcomings will be allowed in conducting the House of Representatives election in a free, fair, peaceful, and error-free manner.
A meeting of the Council, chaired by Prime Minister Sushila Karki, was held at Singha Durbar on March 4. The meeting reviewed election security arrangements and concluded that all necessary security measures for the election are in place.
According to Defense Ministry Secretary Kedarnath Sharma, the meeting decided to mobilize security agencies in a more effective and coordinated manner to maintain peace and order in the country.
The discussion also covered various national security challenges, the potential impact of national, regional, and international developments on national security, and future strategies. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Foreign Minister Balananda Sharma, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Rajendra Singh Bhandari, Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal, and Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel.
According to observers from INSEC, pre-election preparations have been completed across the country.