Nepal Election LIVE Updates: Nepal records slow start to first polls after GenZ protests toppled govt
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) prime ministerial candidate and former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah casts a vote in the Nepal general elections, at a polling station in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (PTI Photo)
Nepal Election LIVE Updates: Nepal has recorded a turnout of about six per cent till 9.30 am, according to the Election Commission, news agency PTI reported. Voting is ongoing smoothly across the country amid tight security in Nepal’s first general elections since youth-led violent protests forced the resignation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and triggered the dissolution of Parliament. Polling began at 7 am on Thursday, and will continue till 5 pm, with as many as 18.9 million voters expected to cast their ballots. The counting will start immediately after the ballot boxes are collected.
The voters will elect members to the 275-seat House of Representatives (HoR), out of which, 165 will be decided through direct voting, while 110 will be allocated under the proportional representation system. According to the Election Commission, 3,406 candidates are contesting under the direct voting system, and 3,135 candidates are vying for seats under proportional representation.
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Main contenders: The elections are being widely viewed as a contest between traditional political forces and a new generation of leaders advocating systemic reform. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), led by K P Sharma Oli, and the Nepali Communist Party led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ are being regarded as traditional forces. On the other side, the Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP), led by Ravi Lamichhane with senior leader Balendra Shah, and the reformed Nepali Congress under Gagan Thapa have publicly voiced support for the issues raised by the youth movement.
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