Status update from ECN
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has previously stated that over 60 percent of preparations for the March 5 election are complete, including legal directives, logistical planning and resource mobilisation. With ballot box dispatch now underway and polling centre details already scheduled for Gazette publication, officials say the process has moved from planning to full execution mode.
Remaining challenges
Despite progress, important tasks remain: finalising and distributing updated voter rolls, training temporary (Myadi) police and polling staff, conducting voter education, and stress-testing result transmission systems. The EC also depends on the government for timely budget release and security deployment decisions, especially in areas that saw protests and unrest during the political transition.
What to watch
Observers will be monitoring whether procurement and transport keep pace with tight deadlines, and whether security agencies can balance firmness with restraint. Any visible gaps in training or logistics could translate into long queues, confusion over voter lists or delays in result publication—issues that have affected trust in past elections.