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The Election Commission (EC) is currently assessing the documents of five new political parties that have applied for registration following the announcement of fresh elections to the House of Representatives.

According to the EC, the documents submitted by these parties are under consideration. 

While any party can apply for registration at any time, the Commission noted that the trend has increased notably after the formation of the incumbent interim government following the September 8-9 Gen Z movement and the announcement of new elections, suggesting the growing participation of youth in politics.

EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai stated that applications meeting the required criteria will be approved.

The Shram Sanskriti Party, led by the Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, Harka Sampang, applied for registration on September 23. 

Similarly, the Nepal Nagarik Party, headed by advocate Surendra Bhandari, applied on 25. The Gatisheel Loktantrik Party, led by Dinesh Raj Prasai with the proposed election symbol Jyoti (Light), filed its application on October 16. 

The Nepal Liberal Party, led by Gopilal Neupane with the proposed symbol Coin, and the Rastriya Gen Z Party, led by Hira Prasad Soti with the proposed symbol Crossed Khukuri, both submitted their applications on October 19. 

The EC has stated that no other party suggesting a specific age group with the election symbol of Crossed Khukuri has yet claimed the registration. A decision regarding its allocation will be made in accordance with existing laws and practices.

Meanwhile, the applications of 10 political parties submitted before the announcement of the election have been disapproved for failing to meet the required documentation standards. Among these are Ujyalo Nepal and the Rastriya Pariwartan Party.

Prior to these new applications, 122 political parties had been registered with the EC. With the split of two existing parties, the total number has now reached 124. 

According to the election schedule approved by the commission on October 6, the notice for party registration for election purposes will be published on November 14.

The Election Commission will provide a period of 10 days from November 17 to 26 for the parties to get registered for election purposes. Only those parties that register in this manner will be allowed to apply for registration as parties for the proportional electoral system.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) has called a Central Committee meeting in Kathmandu on October 29.

The Central Committee meeting has been called to discuss the proposal of party unification with various leftist forces.

Central Deputy Head of the Department of Publicity, Damodar Aryal, said that the meeting will be focused on swiftly concluding the ongoing unification talks with leftist, communist, and socialist parties. It will also hold discussions on the post-unity party's ideological perspective, management of leaders' positions, and other related matters.

"Ideological disputes and internal conflicts within the organisation are to be resolved at the central committee meeting. Most party leaders have suggested that before moving ahead with unification among some communists, homework should be done for polarisation among all leftists," Aryal said.

The meeting is expected to direct the party for lobbying to hold the House of Representatives election on the stipulated date and to actively involve all party and mass organisation committees to play the required role in the election process to help conduct the election in a free, fair and fear-free environment. 

The party central committee is also expected to assign responsibility to the party to promote dialogue and cooperation between democratic republican and constitution-supporting forces and with other parties to resolve the current crisis, protect the republic and the constitution, and create a reliable environment for elections. 

The Unified Socialist's Central Committee meeting is also taking place in the context of the CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli's call to the Unified Socialist, which had prepared the groundwork for unity among the parties affiliated with the Socialist Front and other leftist forces, to join the UML.

President Ram Chandra Paudel, accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel, performed the Gaipuja rituals by making offerings and paying reverence to the cow on the occasion of the Gaitihar festival today.

There is the tradition of worshipping the cows as the symbol of Goddess Laxmi on the day of Gaitihar festival, a part of the five-day Tihar celebrations.

As per the time-honoured tradition, President Paudel worshiped the cow and offered it delicacies amidst a ceremony at the President House, Sheetal Niwas, the President's Secretariat has stated.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has asserted that the government is committed to conducting the upcoming House of Representatives election in a free and fair manner.

Addressing the ceremony of garlanding the statue of Shankhadhar Sakhwa and honouring the national luminary organized by the National Luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa Foundation, Madhyapur Thimi today, PM Karki expressed her confidence that all political parties and all sectors of society would provide support and cooperation to the government in conducting a free and fair election.

"It is well known that the government was tasked with holding the House of Representatives elections on March 5, 2026. The government has the responsibility to serve the Nepali people by addressing the legitimate voices of the Gen-Z in accordance with the Constitution of Nepal. The government is committed to creating an environment where the Nepali people can exercise their voting rights without fear in order to strengthen democracy, achieve economic prosperity, and protect citizens' rights," she said on the occasion.

The PM expressed extreme sadness over the loss of young lives and injuries to hundreds of people during the movement led by Gen-Z on the 8th and 9th of September against rampant corruption in the country.

She expressed commitment that the process of indicating the Nepal Sambat on the notes issued by the Nepal Rastra Bank will be taken forward after consulting the relevant parties.

Prime Minister Karki stated that the government's decision to mention the Nepal Sambat in official documents clearly shows that the government is keen to promote, foster and practically implement this calendar. She instructed the relevant ministries to effectively implement the Nepal Sambat in government offices and also mentioned cooperating with the Foundation for monitoring the implementation of the Nepal Sambat calendar.

She expressed that the Nepal Sambat, which was started in the year 936 in recognition of Shankhadhar Sakhwa's unparalleled contribution to society and the country, as well as his great work for social justice, did not originate from the decree of a king or marking a victory in a war, but rather arose from the public level based on the sacrifice and philanthropy of a trader, making it a calendar of high importance and carrying with it the legacy of public welfare.

Highlighting the need to follow the path shown by Shankhadhar Sakhwa to eliminate poverty and inequality in Nepali society and raise the economic status of the people, Prime Minister Karki stated that only by prioritising national interest over individual and party interests, as Shankhadhar Sakhwa did, can our national aspirations be fulfilled.

At the program, she garlanded the statue of Sakhwa and also launched the bulletin published by the Foundation.

PM Karki also on the occasion honoured the cultural scholar Chhatra Bahadur Kayastha and Nepah Pasa Pucha, USA with the Shankhadhar Sirapa award.

The chairman of the Foundation, Gyanram Shrestha, the Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Surendra Shrestha, and former chairmen of the Foundation, Shyam Krishna Manandhar and Madan Krishna Shrestha, among others, emphasized that more study and research should be carried out on Shankhadhar Sakhwa, and the Nepal Sambat should be fully implemented.