Nepal Goes to Polls: A New Chapter in Democracy

Nepalese citizens are voting in significant general elections, the first since a protest led by Gen Z resulted in the fall of the previous government. Over 18.9 million voters are participating to elect representatives for 275 parliamentary seats. Voting began at 7 am, with counting set to follow immediately after polls close.

Nepal embarked on a pivotal electoral journey Thursday as millions of citizens headed to the polls. This general election marks a crucial moment in the nation's democratic process, the first since a Gen Z-fueled protest removed the previous K P Sharma Oli-led government.

Voters are determining the makeup of Nepal's 275-member House of Representatives, choosing from 3,406 candidates vying for 165 direct voting seats and 3,135 candidates for 110 proportionate voting seats. The election exercise, which began at 7 am, will conclude at 5 pm, with ballot counting to commence immediately thereafter.

On the eve of the election, Acting Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari confirmed all preparations were complete and appealed to voters to engage energetically in this democratic practice.

(With inputs from agencies.)