According to INSEC observer Pratiksha Kafle, a dispute has arisen after 171 ballot papers without the signature of the presiding officer were found at the Baljyoti Basic School polling center located in Waling Municipality–10 of Syangja Electoral Constituency No. 2. The Election Commission sent a letter to the District Election Office, Syangja, directing that an all-party meeting be held on March 6, to make a decision regarding the vote counting. According to the Commission, a decision on whether to count the ballot papers or not should be made only after reaching an agreement among the concerned parties. If consensus could not be reached, the counting process could proceed through a majority decision or a bilateral agreement. After the Commission also instructed that vote counting should begin as soon as possible with necessary security arrangements, an all-party meeting held in Waling Municipality agreed to proceed with the vote counting. With the all-party agreement to start vote counting, the meeting also decided to recommend to the Election Commission that action be taken against the presiding officer who distributed ballot papers without signatures.
According to INSEC representative Uddhav Pokharel, voters boycotted the election at the Beding polling site in Gaurishankar Rural Municipality–9. The voters boycotted the election stating that none of the candidates had come to ask for votes and that the grievances of Beding had not been heard. A staff member deployed for the election stated that the helicopter that had gone to Beding to collect the ballot box returned to the district headquarters carrying an empty ballot box. Beding, known as a village of mountaineers, has 133 registered voters.
House of Representatives Election
March 5, 2026
Preliminary Report
According to INSEC Okhaldhunga representative Saraswati Baniya, locals of Manebhanjyang Tokshel in Okhaldhunga boycotted the voting. Presiding officer Parbasi Rai stated that no voting took place under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system at the Shahid Smriti Basic School, Satsalle polling center in Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality–7 as no voters arrived until 5 PM. Under the proportional representation system, however, four individuals—two women and two men who were staff members—cast their votes.
According to the Sudurpashchim Provincial Office, local resident Jang Bahadur Rana of Godawari Municipality–1 and his wife were allegedly assaulted by two individuals with the surname Bista who blocked their path while they were on their way to vote. The victims reported that the assault occurred while they were heading to vote at the Ghanteshwori Secondary School polling center in Godawari Municipality–1. The victims also informed that they would file a complaint on March 6. The Area Police Office stated that the full details of those involved in the incident have not yet been obtained, and their identities will only be confirmed after the victims file a formal complaint. The couple, who were injured in the assault, received treatment at Padma Hospital and later returned home.
According to INSEC representative Manjita Mainali, in Manahari Rural Municipality–4 of Makwanpur district, the CPN-UML has arranged a separate dining facility for voters, while other political parties active in the area have jointly operated another dining facility at a different location.
Similarly, a dispute arose at the Seti Devi Secondary School, Syaule polling center after it was alleged that another person had cast a vote in the name of a 65-year-old woman who had gone there to vote.
Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari stated that by 4 PM in Makwanpur, a total of 167,675 people had cast their votes, including 81,493 men, 86,178 women, and 4 others, which accounts for 53.17% of the total voters. There are 315,334 voters in the two electoral constituencies of Makwanpur.
According to INSEC Banke representative Dhruvaraj Sharma, during the ongoing voting for the House of Representatives member election, a feast for party cadres was found to have been organized near Dhamboji School in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City–1. According to locals, a tent had been set up near the polling station and food arrangements had been made for party cadres while voting was still in progress. As per the election code of conduct, activities that may influence voters are not allowed around polling stations. After receiving information about the activity, the police intervened and removed the tent.
According to INSEC Rautahat representative Gauri Neupane, only 61 prisoners cast their votes at the temporary polling center located at the prison office in Gaur. Presiding officer Savitra Thapa informed that there are currently 208 prisoners in the prison, including 199 men and 9 women. Among them, 63 male prisoners were included in the voter list. Three staff members, one presiding officer, one assistant presiding officer, and one office assistant were deployed at the polling center for the voting process. Presiding officer Thapa also cast her vote from the same center. In addition, apart from the election staff, 22 individuals, including prison staff, police personnel deployed for the election, and members of the Nepali Army, also cast their votes from the same polling center.
Similarly, during the voting process, CPN candidate Kiran Shah from Rautahat-2 announced that he had left the party. He made this announcement through Facebook.
According to INSEC observer Chiranjivi Ghimire, voting was temporarily suspended for some time in Arjundhara, Jhapa. The dispute arose at around 3:30 PM at the Madanpur Shivnarayan Basic School polling center in Arjundhara–4 after it was found that election officer Sunita Dahal had not signed 53 proportional representation ballot papers. Voting was suspended for about 25 minutes, and after a meeting among election representatives, the voting resumed at 3:55 PM. Earlier, at around 1 PM, voting had also been temporarily halted for a short time at the polling center located at Ghodamara Basic School in Ghodamara, Bahradashi Rural Municipality–6.
According to INSEC Palpa representative Yagyamurti Timilsina, activities in violation of the election code of conduct were observed in some polling areas of Palpa. During observation, it was found that in Bagnaskali Rural Municipality–8 Barangdi, Ward No. 9 Chappani, and Ward No. 7 Khanigaun, political parties were using vehicles to transport voters to and from polling centers through mutual understanding. According to the election code of conduct, influencing voters or transporting them in an organized manner on the day of voting is prohibited. However, sources stated that voters were being brought to the polling centers and taken back through motorcycles and other vehicles in those areas. Despite this, the voting process in those areas was reported to be proceeding peacefully.
According to INSEC Chitwan representative Dipendra Adhikari, a polling staff member deployed at the polling center located at Madi Secondary School under Electoral Constituency No. 3 was arrested by police after being accused of urging voters to vote for the election symbol of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
Similarly, another staff member deployed at the polling center located at Lanku Secondary School in Bharatpur Metropolitan City–4 under Chitwan Electoral Constituency No. 2 was also arrested by police on the allegation of seeking votes in favor of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal stated that further investigation into the incidents is ongoing. Police have informed that necessary investigations against the arrested staff members have been initiated.
According to INSEC Humla representative Nand Singh, security personnel and polling staff stopped an attempt to cast fake votes at the Sunkhani Primary School Halji polling site located in Halji, Namkha Rural Municipality–6. District Police Office DSP Shankar Khadka stated that voting has currently been suspended after the dispute escalated.
According to INSEC Dolakha representative Uddhab Pokharel, local voters boycotted the election at the Beding polling center located in Gaurishankar Rural Municipality–9. According to locals, voters decided to boycott the election expressing dissatisfaction that none of the candidates or representatives of political parties had come to ask for votes in the area. Voters complained that the candidates had neglected them during the election process and stated that it would not be appropriate to vote when the candidates had not visited their area.
According to INSEC representative Santosh Kumar Yadav, the Nepali Army confiscated political pamphlets in Dhanusha Electoral Constituency No. 3. The pamphlets were seized while political parties were distributing them in front of the booth center located at Kolonika in Kadam Chowk, Janakpur, during the voting process. Voting at the polling center is currently reported to be proceeding peacefully.
According to INSEC observer Pratiksha Subedi, voting has been halted at the Balajyoti polling center located in Waling Municipality–10 of Syangja after it was found that the presiding officer’s signature was missing on the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) ballot papers.
According to the INSEC Sudurpashchim Provincial Office, a clash occurred outside the polling site located at Shankar Basic School in Godawari Municipality–10 after a dispute broke out between cadres of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML. During the clash, Ward Chairperson of Godawari Municipality–10, Rabindra Shahi (Guddu), was injured and is currently receiving treatment at Padma Hospital in Attariya, according to DSP Yogendra Timilsina of the District Police Office. DSP Timilsina further stated that the clash occurred outside the polling site and therefore did not affect the voting process, which is continuing peacefully.
According to the INSEC Madhesh Provincial Office, 100 percent voting was completed at the temporary polling center located inside the Jaleshwar Prison. Voting began at 7:00 AM and was completed within half an hour, by 7:30 AM. Among the 391 inmates currently in the prison, 21 prisoners whose names were included in the voter list cast their votes, according to polling officer and prison chief Ashok Kumar Kshetri.
According to INSEC Sankhuwasabha representative Bhavin Karki, voting arranged for prisoners at the District Prison located in the district headquarters, Khandbari, under the House of Representatives member election has been completed. Among the inmates in the prison, 33 whose names were included in the voter list cast their votes. Polling officer Shobha Dahal informed that 33 prisoners voted from the temporary polling center established in the prison. She also stated that the voter turnout from the prison was 100 percent. According to Dahal, 28 male and five female prisoners whose names were in the voter list participated in the voting. Similarly, by 12 PM, 51 individuals had cast their votes from the temporary polling center. There are 1,397 temporary voters in the district. Necessary security arrangements had been made to ensure that the election was conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner.
According to the INSEC Madhesh Provincial Office, the suspended voting process at the Premnagar polling center in Bardibas, Mahottari resumed after a dispute between two sides was resolved. Voting resumed at the polling center after a two-hour halt. The dispute arose after some voters attempted to vote more than once. According to Mahottari Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav, the voting process, which had been suspended since 10:30 AM, resumed at 12:56 PM. During the dispute, Ward Chairperson Bhoril Yadav was slightly injured in a clash between him and cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal.
According to INSEC Sarlahi representative Budhan Sah, voting that had been halted in Balara Municipality–4 of Sarlahi has resumed. The dispute began when Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) candidate Amresh Kumar Singh arrived at the polling center, after which the opposing side initiated a dispute. Voting is currently continuing safely and normally.
According to the INSEC Madhesh Provincial Office, voting has been suspended at the Premnagar polling center in Bardibas Municipality–7 of Mahottari after a dispute arose between the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal over allegations of multiple voting. Locals stated that the dispute escalated after some individuals attempted to vote repeatedly.
Ward Chairperson Bhoril Yadav stated that one individual attempted to vote up to four times. Chief Election Officer Gagandev Mahato informed that discussions are underway among representatives of political parties to resume the voting process.
According to INSEC Okhaldhunga representative Saraswati Baniya, locals of Manebhanjyang Tokshel have boycotted the voting. So far, the voting turnout remains zero as no voters have arrived at the Shahid Smriti Basic School, Satsalle polling center in Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality–7, according to presiding officer Parbasi Rai.
According to INSEC Udayapur representative Rakesh Nepali, a direct (First-Past-The-Post) ballot box was damaged after a shotgun carried by police constable Niraj Mahatman accidentally discharged at the Tarkari and Fruit Sales Center, Tawakhola(A) polling center in Katari Municipality Ward No. 3 of Udayapur. However, voting has not been halted and is currently continuing as usual.
According to INSEC Morang representative Binod Subedi, a feast organized by the Nepali Congress and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) for voters was found near the polling site located at the Department of Drug Administration polling center in Biratnagar–3. After a team including the Chief District Officer of Morang and the district police chief instructed that the materials used for the feast be removed, party cadres were seen removing the feast-related materials.
According to INSEC observer Krishna Prasad Pandey, 100 percent voting was recorded at Kaski Prison this time. All 37 prisoners listed in the voter roll exercised their voting rights at the temporary polling center established inside the prison.
Similarly, the Nagu polling center in Naudada Rural Municipality–1 remains deserted.
According to INSEC Dang representative Jaynarayan Pun, no votes had been cast by 10:30 AM at the Janata AB School polling center in Babai Rural Municipality–1 and at the Deuti Secondary School, Tallomalai polling center in Babai Rural Municipality–7. Presiding Officer Tek Bahadur Khadka of the district polling center reported that there are a total of 682 registered voters in the district.
Similarly, Presiding Officer Chiranjeevi Khadka reported that no voters had arrived to cast their votes at Tallomalai, which has 530 registered voters. No political party had sent polling representatives to either of these two polling centers. Local residents of Babai–1, Chandrabhadur Ragumagar stated that the boycott occurred because animals coming from the nearby sanctuary were unsafe and the locals had been protesting for their relocation. Since their demands were not addressed, the voters chose to abstain from voting.
According to INSEC Dolakha representative Uddhab Pokharel, voting at Malu polling center in Tamakoshi Rural Municipality–4 was suspended due to a dispute. Tension arose after the Nepali Congress and CPN cadres jointly occupied the booth. When election staff were threatened with physical assault, the police fired warning shots, which led to shouting and further unrest. For these reasons, voting has been temporarily halted. Ward-level party protests by CPN-UML and RSP continue, and the Chief District Officer stated that a cross-party meeting is ongoing to prepare an agreement and resume the voting process after necessary discussions.
According to details published by the Election Commission of Nepal, there are approximately 18,903,689 (18.9 million) registered voters. Among them, 9,663,358 are male voters, 9,240,131 are female voters, and around 200 are classified as other voters. For the House of Representatives, a total of 275 members will be elected, 165 through the First-Past-the-Post (direct) system and 110 through the Proportional Representation system. To ensure the smooth conduct of voting, approximately 10,967 polling sites and 23,112 polling centers have been established across the country. For election security, 75,797 personnel from the Nepal Police, 34,576 from the Armed Police Force Nepal, 79,727 from the Nepal Army, 1,921 from the National Investigation Department, and 149,090 temporary election police personnel have been deployed.
Polling stations have opened early in the morning, and thousands of citizens, carrying their voter identification cards, have lined up to exercise their right to vote. Today’s voting is expected to further strengthen Nepal’s democratic values and norms, ensure participation from all sections of society, and provide a decisive opportunity to select the country’s future leadership. The election is also anticipated to serve as a crucial moment in reinforcing the nation’s democratic process.
In Ward No. 8 of Pokhara Metropolitan City, voting began at 7:00 AM. According to Sub-Inspector Lal Bahadur Lama, four polling centers have been set up at Janapriya Secondary School, which has a total of 4,117 registered voters.
Voting began at 7:00 AM in Chitram, Ward No. 7 of Birendranagar Municipality, Surkhet.
According to Narayan Subedi, Coordinator of INSEC Karnali Province, three polling centers have been established at Shree Krishna Sanskrit and General Secondary School, which has a total of 2,891 registered voters.
According to INSEC representative Jivan Khadka, voting has also begun in Rukum West.
According to INSEC Darchula representative Narendra Singh Karki, voting began at 7:00 AM. At Mahendra Model Secondary School in Khalanga, the district headquarters, a voter with a disability, Pramod Singh Kunwar, cast the first ballot at 7:12 AM.
Similarly, voting began exactly at 7:00 AM at the Api Nampa Conservation Area “Kha” polling center located in Ward No. 5 of Mahakali Municipality, informed Polling Officer Pramananda Kunwar. The first vote at this polling center was cast by Bhojraj Badu.
According to the District Police Office Darchula, voting has commenced in all locations. In Darchula, there are 112 polling sites, 143 polling centers, and 2 temporary polling centers.
According to INSEC Pyuthan representative Ravindra Pandey, voting under the House of Representatives election has started peacefully at all polling centers in Pyuthan district from 7:00 AM.
Chief District Officer Shantiraj Prasai reported that the voting process began on time at all 230 polling centers across the district’s 158 polling sites. He stated that all polling centers are fully staffed, equipped with necessary security arrangements and election materials, and voting is proceeding without any disruptions. Voters have been arriving enthusiastically since early morning to exercise their voting rights.
The administration has placed security agencies on high alert to ensure a clean, fair, and fear-free election. So far, no untoward incidents have been reported, and the voting process is being conducted peacefully.
According to INSEC Dhanusha representative Santosh Kumar Yadav, CPN-UML candidate Juli Mahato cast her vote at the Pustakalaya polling center in Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City–9, representing Dhanusha–3.
Similarly, the House of Representatives candidate from Dhanusha Electoral Constituency No. 1, Matrika Prasad Yadav of the Nepali Communist Party, cast his vote at Shri Ramprasad Secondary School in Sabaila Municipality–2.
Similarly, CPN (UML) candidate for the House of Representatives from Dhanusha Electoral Constituency No. 4, Raghuvir Mahaseth, is casting his vote at the Pustakalaya polling center (booth) in Janakpurdham–9.
According to the INSEC Sudurpashchim Office, voting for the House of Representatives began on time at 7:00 AM on March 5, at all polling sites across the 16 electoral constituencies in the nine districts of Sudurpashchim Province, as reported by INSEC district representatives and observers. Pramraj Bhatt, Chief of the Sudurpashchim Province Election Office in Dhangadhi, confirmed that voting commenced peacefully in all 16 constituencies.
To ensure a peaceful and fear-free election, strict security measures have been implemented. All polling staff have been instructed to make the polling centers human-rights-friendly, and arrangements have been made so that people with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant women do not need to stand in line to vote, Chief Bhatt stated.
According to INSEC Dang observer Ekaraj Bhandari, Nepali Congress candidate Yogendra Chaudhary from Dang Constituency No. 1 cast his vote at Dipendra Homjun Secondary School polling center in Gadhwa–4.
