Last week in Nepal, a movement led by Gen Z to combat corruption and demand accountability swiftly dismantled the government headed by KP Sharma Oli, a coalition of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, within a span of two days. In response to the youths’ recommendations, President Ramchandra Paudel appointed former chief justice Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister and disbanded the House of Representatives, a key demand of the protestors. Karki has been tasked with organizing parliamentary elections within six months, with a deadline set for March 5 next year.
Despite the significant political shift orchestrated by Gen Z, concerns have been raised regarding the exclusion of tens of thousands of young voters due to existing regulations. The Voter Registration Act of 2073 specifies that individuals cannot be added to the voter list once an election date is announced. Consequently, only those registered by September 12 will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, with a total of 18,148,654 voters listed as of the end of the previous Nepali year.
The Election Commission is actively engaging with the government to resolve the legal obstacles hindering Gen Z’s participation in the electoral process. Acting chief election commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari confirmed ongoing discussions to amend the legislation and enable new voter registrations. While attempts to obtain comments from Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Om Prakash Aryal were unsuccessful, Bhandari assured that the commission is prepared to manage the challenges of facilitating voter registration within a two-month window.
The total number of eligible voters has steadily increased over the past few years, with 17,988,570 individuals participating in the previous elections and a subsequent rise to 18,148,654 by April 2025. Nepali citizens aged 16 and above are eligible for voter registration, but they must wait two additional years before exercising their voting rights.
Preparations for the upcoming elections have commenced promptly following the announcement of the election date. Despite the reduction in the constitutional commission’s membership from five to three, Bhandari expressed confidence in the remaining team’s ability to successfully oversee the March 5 elections, with government assistance.