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The Election Commission (EC) has unveiled sample ballot papers for various districts and electoral constituencies for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5. 

The Commission made public sample ballot papers for the districts under all seven provinces. 

The sample ballot paper is of one type for districts with a sole electoral constituency and of another type for districts with more than a single constituency. 

The sample ballot papers, according to the EC, have been designed based on the number of candidates. 

The ballot size for constituencies with more candidates will be relatively larger while it will be smaller for constituencies with fewer candidates. 

For having the highest number of constituencies, Kathmandu will have the ballot paper with larger size. 

There is only one electoral constituency in Salyan, Dolpa, Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot and Rukum West in Karnali Province, the EC informed. 

Dailekh and Surkhet have two electoral constituencies. The Commission has also made public the sample of the actual ballot papers of these districts. 

In Sudurpashchim Province, districts with single constituency are Bajura, Bajhang, Doti, Darchula, Baitadi and Dadeldhura. Achham has two while Kanchanpur has three and Kailali five electoral constituencies. 

The Commission has also made public the sample of actual ballot papers for all these electoral constituencies. 

It will gradually make public the actual ballot papers for other districts as well, the EC shared. 

Printing of ballot papers is going on at the Janak Education Materials Center. 

The Commission has stated that the printing of ballot papers for the proportional representation electoral system has been completed. 

With the preparation of sample ballot papers of various districts, the Commission has also advanced the election awareness drive. 

The outreach of the sample ballot papers prepared for voter awareness programs is also underway, it is shared. 

The Election Commission has adopted a policy of using locally produced materials as much as possible for the elections to the House of Representatives slated for March 5.

To make the election economical, transparent and to use and encourage local products, the Commission has adopted a policy of using locally produced materials as much as possible. 

A total of 51 materials will be used for the elections and currently 37 types of materials are being procured from the provinces and districts in a decentralized manner, shared the Commission's spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai.

Among them, 14 types of materials are being procured from the central level and the responsibility for most of the purchases has been given to Salt Trading Company. He said that only new materials worth Rs 67.5 million have been procured for the elections and other materials have been reused.

With nominations now complete for both the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation (PR) categories, the prospects of holding the House of Representatives elections for March 5 have improved significantly. 

President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Sushila Karki have maintained a firm, non-negotiable stance in favor of the polls. Political parties across the spectrum have participated actively, showing organizational readiness and enthusiasm. Except for a fringe group under businessman Durga Prasai, no major force seems capable of disrupting the electoral process at this moment. Earlier, divisions within the Nepali Congress (NC) had raised doubts about whether the elections would take place on time. Those concerns have now largely subsided, clearing the way for the polls. 

The elections are widely seen as essential for restoring political normalcy by fully activating the constitution. Yet, security remains a concern. Morale within the Nepal Police is reportedly low, which could complicate campaigning and voting. The Nepali Army has already been deployed, signaling the state’s commitment to holding the elections as planned. The primary security concern comes from potential clashes between established and emerging parties. A minor clash in the Jhapa-5 constituency on nomination filing day serves as an early warning.

Why the vote matters

The March 5 elections are crucial for the country. First, the lower house election will formally transfer governing authority to a legitimate parliamentary body, restoring democratic credibility. The current unelected government will be replaced by one chosen by the people. Second, the polls will also address constitutional breaches and ambiguities that emerged after the Sept 8-9 unrest through a renewed popular mandate. Third, the elections will reduce the risk of a deepening constitutional crisis by re-establishing fully functional state institutions. 

Furthermore, the elections are expected to safeguard the current constitution and political system. Newer forces, like the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and leaders such as Balen Shah—whose earlier positions on the political system were ambiguous—have publicly reaffirmed their commitment to republicanism and secularism. This has eased fears of a rollback of the post-2008 political order. Major parties are also making visible efforts to bring fresh faces into Parliament. While limited, this reflects growing public dissatisfaction with entrenched elites. 

Failure to hold elections on schedule will seriously undermine the legitimacy of both the president and the prime minister, potentially plunging the country into renewed political conflict.

Will it bring stability and reform?

Despite these positive aspects, a critical question remains: will the elections bring political stability? The answer is far from reassuring. Current realities suggest that no single party is likely to win a clear majority. Major parties—including the NC, CPN-UML, the Nepali Communist Party, and the RSP—have fielded candidates in nearly all constituencies. Under the PR system, the balance of power among these parties is also expected to remain largely unchanged.

This points to a hung parliament. A stable majority government appears unlikely in the present context, making fragile coalitions almost inevitable. Coalition politics will dominate governance once again, limiting the government’s ability to pursue bold or long-term reforms. Sweeping changes, especially institutional and constitutional reforms, are unlikely to materialize. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds parliamentary majority—a threshold nearly impossible under current conditions. Historically, even powerful parties such as the NC and UML have shown little appetite for serious reform. 

Corruption and governance reforms will also be difficult to pursue. A hung parliament will likely become a battleground for party politics, with indecision and obstruction dominating parliamentary work.

Foreign policy post-vote

Political fragmentation will affect Nepal’s foreign policy. Instability creates space for foreign influence. Managing balanced and cordial relations with major powers will be more difficult, as old and new parties bring divergent, and at times contradicting, worldviews. Even when Parliament was dominated by three major parties, building a unified foreign policy had proved difficult. A more fragmented legislature will make consensus even harder. Differences on issues like the MCC of the US and BRI of China are already apparent.

Some traditional political parties have accused newer parties of being backed by foreign interests, particularly regarding the Sept 8-9 protest. Nepal’s engagement with major powers has slowed since the GenZ unrest. Meanwhile, major powers are waiting for a new government before adjusting their strategies. Managing the competing interests of major powers will be especially challenging for a coalition government. China seems to favor traditional, particularly communist, parties. New Delhi is open to working with any government. Western countries appear more supportive of newer parties. Conflicting agendas among these powers will place additional pressure on a coalition government. 

Conclusion

The March 5 elections are necessary and constitutionally indispensable. They offer a chance to restore democratic processes, correct past deviations, and prevent a constitutional crisis. However, while the elections may restore procedural normalcy, they are unlikely to bring political stability or transformative change. A fragmented mandate, coalition politics, and external pressures will continue shaping Nepal’s trajectory long after the vote. 

Elections, therefore, should be seen not as a solution, but as the start of another challenging phase in Nepal’s ongoing democratic transition.

With 36 days left to go for voting in the elections to the House of Representatives (HoR), the Election Commission has assigned the officers for monitoring the election code of conduct. 

EC Spokesperson Narayan Prsad Bhattarai informed that assistant chief district officer in each district has been assigned to monitor the enforcement of election code of conduct in a bid to ensure free and fair elections to HoR scheduled for March 5. 

The assistant chief district officer is given such responsibility except financial aspect. 

The officers from comptrollers' office are named as election monitors to look after the financial issues.

The election code of conduct is in force since January 18.