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The government has announced a three-day public holiday from March 4 to March 6 for the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. 

A Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday made the decision to this effect. 

Earlier, the Election Commission had urged the government to grant a three-day holiday in order to encourage enthusiastic voter participation. 

Only 1,213 candidates, out of 3406, for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections, have so far opened the bank accounts to make monetary transactions for election purposes. 

According to the Election Commission, only nine political parties, out of 68 contesting the elections, have now bank accounts for the election-related expenditures. 

Such political parties are the Nepali Congress, Rastriya Janamorcha, CPN (United), Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Nepal Party for Nepal, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), Samyukta Nagarik Party, Miteri Party and Nepal Janata Samrakshan Party. 

EC Assistant Spokesperson Kul Bahadur GC said the Election Commission has implemented a provision mandating political parties and candidates to open bank accounts for making the collection of economic assistance for the election transparent by adhering to the set expenditures ceiling.

As per the House of Election Members Election Publicity Bank Account (Operation and  Management) Procedure, 2082 BS, electoral candidates and parties contesting towards the both proportional representation and the First-Past-The-Post system are mandated to follow the banking system for the economic transactions meant for the election publicity campaign.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has reaffirmed Nepal's unflinching commitment to advancing human rights through policy, legal and institutional measures. 

She highlighted the provisions of the Constitution of Nepal and expressed her commitment to protecting and promoting all human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in Geneva said in a press statement.  

In her addresses to the High-Level Segment of the 61st Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva today through a video statement, the Prime Minister expressed Nepal's commitment to the principles of UN Charter and reiterated the resolve of the Government of Nepal to conclude the transitional justice process in a transparent, inclusive, credible, and victim-centric approach.

The Prime Minister, while recalling the September 2025 Gen-Z movement in Nepal, stated that the mandate of the current Government is to ensure accountability, combat corruption, and deliver good governance. 

She highlighted the preparations being made for holding the elections to the House of Representatives on March 5 in a free and fair manner. 

Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, and dignitaries from over 120 countries are going to address the opening plenary of the High-Level segment. 

The President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, and Swiss Federal Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis addressed the session, which was formally convened by the President of the Human Rights Council Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro.

Nepali delegation, led by Prime Minister Karki, comprises Ram Prasad Subedi, Permanent Representative, and senior officials from the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva.

The ongoing 61st session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2026 in Geneva.

The Election Commission (EC) has reminded the officials, government employees and organizations from different sectors of the election code of conduct after the EC received several complaints of violation of the election code of conduct. 

Some cases of violation of the election code of conduct have surfaced in the wake of the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5. 

The EC has stated that the election code of conduct fully binds the Government of Nepal and ministers, Province Governments and province ministers, bodies of the Government of Nepal and province governments and their office-bearers, local governments and their executives, employees of the federal, province and local levels as well as the offices and employees of semi-state owned institutions and public enterprises.

Furthermore, the media houses and media persons, schools, universities, teachers and officials are also bound by the election code of conduct. 

Similarly, the political parties, their sister organizations, candidates, candidates' election representatives and voting representatives should strictly abide by the election code of conduct. 

Others to follow the election code of conduct include the bank and financial institutions, cooperative organizations, commercial and business sectors, NGOs and their employees, according to the EC.

The constitutional bodies, their officials, security bodies and security personnel, public position holders, election observers and the election observing committee's office-bearers too should completely follow the election code of conduct.  

Issuing a statement on Monday, the EC has asked the professors, teachers and officials to avoid any sorts of election campaigns favouring certain political parties and candidates in the upcoming HoR elections. 

The EC made such an appeal to the stakeholders issuing a statement after it received some complaints about the involvement of professors, teachers and officials in publicity campaigns for political parties and candidates.

The Election Code of Conduct, 2082 BS clearly bars teachers and professors and officials from participating in the political campaigns of any political parties and candidates.

The EC has also cautioned those stakeholders to maintain impartiality and not to participate in the political parties' and candidates' election campaigns.