Nepal Heads To Parliamentary Polls In First Vote Since Gen Z Protests

(MENAFN- IANS) Kathmandu, March 5 (IANS) Nepal is set to hold parliamentary elections on Thursday, marking the first nationwide vote since the Gen Z uprising of September last year that shook the Himalayan nation.

Voters will elect 275 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the federal parliament. Of the total seats, 165 lawmakers will be chosen through the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, while the remaining 110 will be filled under the proportional representation model.

The elections are taking place in the shadow of the September 8-9 Gen Z uprising, during which 77 people were killed.

Government estimates indicate that the unrest also resulted in damage to private and public property amounting to more than NPR 84 billion.

In the immediate aftermath of the protests, uncertainty loomed over the country’s political trajectory. However, the interim government headed by Prime Minister Sushila Karki moved to restore political stability and announced fresh elections. With polling now set for Thursday, Nepal appears poised to reaffirm its democratic process through the ballot.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has called upon citizens to participate in the democratic exercise without fear. In a message to voters, Bhandari said that all necessary arrangements for conducting and managing the elections have been completed and encouraged the electorate to exercise their constitutional right.

Voting will be held across the country from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Election Commission.

“Since elections are the foundation of a representative system of governance and provide legitimacy and assurance to the people’s right to be governed through representatives of their choice, I sincerely urge all voters to attend their respective polling centres and cast their votes confidently on Thursday,” Bhandari said.

He further stated that the Commission is fully prepared to ensure the polls are conducted in a clean, free, fair and fear-free environment.

In a separate statement, the election body confirmed that all essential materials, including ballot papers and ballot boxes, have been dispatched to polling stations across the country.

It added that arrangements such as the setup and management of polling booths, measures to ensure accessibility, gender- and disability-friendly facilities, and the deployment of election personnel have been completed.

According to the Commission, more than 18.9 million registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots. Of these, 9.66 million are male voters and 9.24 million are female voters.

A total of 3,406 candidates are in the fray under the FPTP system, while 3,135 candidates are contesting under the proportional representation system, the Commission said.

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