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Nepal's Political Record • Documented for the Public

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LEADERS
Daily Intelligence

Debate continues on diaspora voting for this election

Date:
Tags:
Election 2026/2082PoliticsDiaspora VotingLaw Reform

Summary

The Election Commission has urged the government to amend the Voter Registration Act to eventually enable out-of-country voting, as ordered by the Supreme Court. However, officials have not announced any concrete mechanism for Nepalis abroad to cast ballots in the March 5 election, leaving expectations and rumours in tension.

Full Briefing

Legal and policy discussions

In meetings with the Ministry of Home Affairs and other stakeholders, the Election Commission has argued that legal amendments are needed to implement out-of-country voting in line with a Supreme Court directive. Discussions have focused on revising provisions of the Voter Registration Act and exploring technical models such as embassy-based voting or postal ballots. So far, these talks remain at the level of policy design rather than implementation.

No confirmed arrangement for March 5

As of now, officials have not confirmed any system that would allow Nepali citizens living abroad to vote in the March 5 House of Representatives election. Senior ECN figures have indicated they are studying options, but time and logistical constraints make it difficult to roll out a credible nationwide mechanism in the current cycle. Civil society groups continue to lobby for at least pilot arrangements in select countries, but this has not translated into a formal decision.

Risk of misinformation

The gap between long-term commitments and short-term reality has created space for misinformation on social media, including unverified claims that online or app-based voting has already been approved. Voters are advised to rely on official notices from the Election Commission and embassies rather than forwarded messages or screenshots. The Leaders will flag any official change in policy as soon as it is announced.