A total of 10,967 polling stations have been finalized across the country for the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21.
The Election Commission has added 168 new polling stations to facilitate easier voting for the public. Previously, there were 10,892 polling stations nationwide. At the same time, 93 polling stations that were either unused or adjusted have been scrapped. The Commission stated that polling stations have been designated to ensure voters can cast their ballots in a convenient and accessible manner.
Polling stations that were inconvenient or non-functional have been removed, while new stations have been added in more accessible locations. During the review process, errors in polling station names and addresses were corrected, and some voters were partially or fully relocated to more convenient polling stations. In certain cases, voters were also adjusted to nearby existing polling stations within the same ward.
The Commission had earlier informed the public through a notice about the review of polling stations and invited claims and objections if any voter’s name had been omitted or wrongly assigned. Voters were also allowed to apply to transfer their names to a more convenient polling station within the same ward.
Meanwhile, with the promulgation of the House of Representatives Election (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082, determining inclusive group percentages under the proportional representation system for the upcoming election has become easier. President Ramchandra Paudel promulgated the ordinance on Friday on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, in accordance with Article 114(1) of the Constitution of Nepal.
The government had recommended amending Schedule 1 of the House of Representatives Election Act, 2074, based on population percentages of Dalits, Indigenous Nationalities, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu, and Muslims as per the 2078 National Census. The existing schedule is currently based on the 2068 census.
Under the proportional representation system for the House of Representatives, political parties will now be required to submit closed lists of candidates based on inclusive group percentages derived from the 2078 national census. According to Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, political parties that have applied to participate under this system must submit their closed lists of candidates on Poush 13 and 14 between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
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