Nepal recorded a voter turnout of around 60 per cent by 5 pm, the Election Commission announced on Thursday, according to the BBC.
Nearly 19 million registered voters took part in the country’s first general elections since youth-led violent protests forced the resignation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and led to the dissolution of Parliament. Voting was mostly peaceful across the country with heavy security in place, although a few minor incidents were reported at some polling stations.
Nepal elections 2026: When will vote counting begin?
Vote counting is currently underway after ballot boxes were collected from polling stations across the country. However, due to Nepal’s difficult mountainous terrain, transporting the ballot boxes from remote areas to the counting centres usually takes at least a day, which can delay the start of the counting process in some locations.
Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari told the BBC that he is committed to completing the counting by March 9.
Nepal elections 2026: Key parties in the fray
The election is being seen as a fight between traditional political parties and a new generation of leaders who are calling for major reforms. Traditional forces include the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) led by KP Sharma Oli and the Nepali Communist Party led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as ‘Prachanda’.
On the other side are newer political voices such as the Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP) led by Ravi Lamichhane with senior leader Balendra Shah, along with the reformed Nepali Congress under Gagan Thapa. These leaders have openly supported many of the demands raised by the youth-led protest movement.
Nepal elections 2026: When will the results be announced?
The results of the Nepal elections are expected to be announced over the weekend. Authorities are currently waiting for all ballot boxes from polling stations across the country to reach the counting centres. In some remote northern mountain areas, helicopters are being used to transport the boxes.
The next government will face the challenge of meeting the demands raised during the September protests. Key issues include tackling corruption and carefully managing Nepal’s relations with neighbouring countries such as India and China.
‘Maintain peace and order’: Oli calls for stability and restoration of democracy
Former PM KP Sharma Oli said the election should help restore stability and democratic order in Nepal. He also expressed confidence that his party would win a strong mandate in the 2026 general elections.
Oli, who is the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), said the vote carries an important responsibility to strengthen peace and ensure people can carry on with their daily lives without fear.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Oli said, “This election has to maintain peace and order and ensure the public that normalcy is back in the nation so that people can continue their business and activities without fear or restraints.”