Kathmandu- Voters residing outside their home districts will not be allowed to cast their ballots in the upcoming House of Representatives elections. The Election Commission has clarified that inter-district voting arrangements have not been made this time due to legal and technical limitations.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said preparations for the elections are progressing rapidly but the commission has been unable to introduce inter-district voting.
“There is no provision for inter-district voting this time,” Bhattarai said. “Such a system would require prior legal amendments and significant technical preparation, which could not be completed.”
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According to the commission, a provisional voter list has been prepared, but it only covers specific categories of voters. As in previous elections, the provisional list includes security personnel, government employees deployed for election duties, prisoners currently in jail, and senior citizens residing in old-age homes who will be involved in the electoral process. Apart from these groups, other citizens will not be permitted to vote outside their registered districts.
There had also been demands to facilitate voting for Nepali citizens living abroad. However, the commission acknowledged that it has not been able to make arrangements even for inter-district voting, let alone voting from abroad.
Security and social media monitoring
Addressing concerns about election security, spokesperson Bhattarai said there is no reason for voters to feel unsafe. He informed that integrated security plans are being prepared at the district level.
“There is no need to be afraid of the election or to hesitate to go to the polling stations due to security concerns,” he said.
On the issue of potential misuse of social media during the election period, Bhattarai said the commission is actively coordinating with major digital platforms.
“We are in contact with Meta and TikTok, and both companies have responded positively. The commission remains in continuous coordination with them,” he said.
Candidate withdrawal timeline
Responding to questions about candidate withdrawals, Bhattarai said the commission has not yet received official applications. Although some candidates have announced withdrawals on social media, he stressed that such announcements are not valid unless submitted formally.
“The deadline for withdrawal of candidacy is poush 28. Only applications submitted on that date through official procedures will be recognized,” he said.
The Election Commission maintains that despite logistical and legal constraints, all necessary preparations are being made to conduct the House of Representatives elections in a free, fair, and secure manner.
