Kathmandu. Today is a historic day for the politics of Nepal, where seven provinces of the country—Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim—are voting for the general elections. Where Prime Minister Sushila Karki also cast her vote. There is a tough competition in the electoral battle between old veterans and new faces. On one hand, Communist Party (UML) chief and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is trying hard to return to power, while on the other hand, influential leader of Nepali Congress Gagan Thapa is in the fray with the promise of freedom from corruption and employment. But this time the most talked about person is former Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah. Balen Shah, a rapper and civil engineer-turned-politician, is extremely popular among the youth and urban voters and is being seen as a major reformist face. Apart from them, parties like Rashtriya Swatantra Party, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party and Janmat Party are also making their presence felt prominently.
These elections, which are being held after the ongoing severe political turmoil and mass movements against corruption and unemployment for the last one year, will not only elect a new government but will also test the strength of Nepal’s democratic structure.
This time, the Election Commission has shown promptness and claimed that the results of 165 seats of the direct election system (First Past the Post) will be declared within 24 hours of collecting the ballot boxes, which will be a big improvement compared to the 2022 elections. However, counting of 110 seats of proportional representation may take two to three days. Nepal’s electoral system is complex, employing a mixture of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. Its objective is to ensure that smaller parties and various social groups also get a place in Parliament. This election is also important because in September 2025, Nepal’s Gen-G generation took to the streets and launched a major movement against unemployment and the political system. Due to that violence and protests, the then Prime Minister had to resign, after which the interim government formed under the leadership of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki took the responsibility of holding elections within six months.
