KATHMANDU: Nepal’s electoral history spans nearly eight decades, tracing its roots to the Nepal Government Act of 1948, which first introduced elected bodies and granted voting rights to eligible citizens. The 1951 Interim Constitution further institutionalized elections by establishing the Election Commission, giving it authority over voter registration, election management, and dispute resolution. Since the first general election in 1959, Nepal has conducted eight parliamentary elections, marking key milestones in its democratic evolution.

Nepal News presents a concise journey through the country’s electoral history, highlighting key facts from the very first election to today, helping you understand the context and significance of the March 5 polls.

What is the historical context of Nepal’s upcoming March election?

Following the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990, the country has held seven parliamentary elections and two Constituent Assembly elections, with the nation now preparing for the next parliamentary election on March 5. While this will be the eighth election under multiparty democracy, it is technically the ninth in the broader history of Nepal’s parliamentary polls.

Elections were also held during the 30-year partyless Panchayat system, but these lacked democratic legitimacy. Nevertheless, the last two Rastriya Panchayat elections in 1981 and 1986 saw strong public participation, demonstrating the electorate’s enduring engagement in political processes.

The 2026 election comes under unprecedented circumstances. Following the September 8–9 Gen Z protest, which toppled the elected government, the interim government led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki dissolved the House of Representatives and announced fresh elections. Experts note that while this election poses significant challenges, it also presents an opportunity, underscoring the continuing evolution of Nepal’s electoral and democratic landscape.

When and how was Nepal’s 2022 general election held, and what did it produce?

Nepal’s second general election for the House of Representatives was held on November 20, 2022, amid heightened political competition and public expectations following years of coalition politics. A total of 57 political parties filed nomination papers to contest the election.

The election resulted in a hung parliament, as no single party secured an outright majority, making post-election coalition negotiations inevitable. The Nepali Congress emerged as the largest party with 89 seats, followed by the CPN (UML) with 78 seats. The CPN (Maoist Centre) secured 32 seats, while the Rashtriya Swatantra Party made a strong debut with 20 seats. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party won 14 seats, the Janata Samajwadi Party secured 12 seats, the CPN (Unified Socialist) won 10 seats, the Janamat Party won six seats, and the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal, secured four seats.

A total of 2,412 candidates contested the election, including 225 women. At the time, Nepal had 17,988,570 registered voters, and voter turnout stood at 61.63 percent. Invalid votes accounted for 5.19 percent of the ballots cast. According to official figures, the Election Commission spent Rs. 6.54 billion to conduct the polls. The 2022 election underscored the continued fragmentation of Nepal’s political landscape and reinforced coalition politics as a defining feature of the country’s parliamentary system.

When and how was Nepal’s 2017 general election held, and what were its outcomes?

Nepal’s 2017 general election was held in two phases on November 26 and December 3, marking the first parliamentary and provincial-level elections conducted under the Constitution of Nepal, 2015. At the time, there were 15,427,731 registered voters, and voter turnout reached 68.68 percent, while 5.16 percent of the ballots were declared invalid. According to the Election Commission, a total of Rs. 6.41 billion was spent on conducting the election.

The election was conducted under a mixed electoral system. Under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) category, 55 political parties participated, while 49 parties contested under the proportional representation (PR) system. In total, 165 lawmakers were elected through the FPTP system and 110 through the PR category to the House of Representatives. The CPN (UML) emerged as the largest party, securing 121 seats, followed by the Nepali Congress with 63 seats, while the Maoist party won 52 seats. Altogether, 10 political parties gained representation in the House of Representatives.

Following the election, the UML and the Maoist party merged to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), creating the largest communist force in Nepal’s political history. In the aftermath of this merger, UML leader KP Sharma Oli assumed office as Prime Minister, ushering in a new phase in Nepal’s post-constitution political landscape.

When and how was Nepal’s second Constituent Assembly election held in 2013, and what did it accomplish?

Nepal’s second Constituent Assembly (CA) election was held on November 19, 2013, following the dissolution of the first CA. At the time, there were 12,147,865 registered voters, and voter participation was notably high, with a turnout of 78.34 percent. Invalid votes accounted for 4.96 percent of the total ballots cast. Despite sporadic incidents of violence and disruptions in different parts of the country, the overall polling process remained largely peaceful.

The election was conducted by an interim government led by then Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi. The Nepali Congress emerged as the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, winning 196 seats. The CPN (UML) followed closely with 179 seats, while the Maoist party placed third with 80 seats. With the support of the UML, Nepali Congress leader Sushil Koirala was appointed Prime Minister.

Unlike its predecessor, the second Constituent Assembly succeeded in fulfilling its core mandate. After prolonged negotiations, it drafted and promulgated the Constitution of Nepal in September 2015, bringing the constitution-writing process to a formal conclusion.

When and how was Nepal’s first Constituent Assembly (CA) election held in 2008, and what did it achieve?

Nepal’s first Constituent Assembly election was held on April 10, 2008, with the primary objective of drafting a new constitution. The election took place in a highly charged political environment following the end of the monarchy and the peace process. At the time, there were 17,611,832 registered voters, and voter turnout stood at 61.70 percent, while invalid votes accounted for 5.1 percent of the total ballots cast.

The Constituent Assembly comprised a total of 601 members. Of these, 240 were elected through the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, 335 through proportional representation (PR), and 25 were nominated by the Council of Ministers. The then Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) emerged as the largest political force, winning 226 seats. Its leader, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, subsequently became prime minister. Following mergers with smaller parties, the Maoist seat count later rose to 240. The Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) followed with 109 and 103 seats, respectively.

Initially, 19 political parties were represented in the Constituent Assembly, but this number later expanded to 32 due to splits among smaller parties. Two independent candidates were also elected. Despite its broad representation, the Constituent Assembly ultimately failed to complete its core task of promulgating a constitution and was dissolved in 2012.

The election was preceded by significant unrest. In the weeks leading up to polling day, political clashes in several districts turned violent, with attacks targeting candidates, party activists, journalists, and election officials. Reports documented numerous violent incidents, including explosions, particularly in the Tarai belt and hill districts.

When and how were Nepal’s 1999 general elections held, and what were the outcomes?

Nepal’s general elections of 1999 were held in two phases, on May 3 and May 17, amid broad political competition following the democratic transition of the 1990s. A total of 39 political parties contested the polls, reflecting an increasingly plural political environment. However, only six parties ultimately succeeded in securing representation at the national level.

The Nepali Congress (NC) emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives, winning 111 seats, while the CPN (UML) followed as the second-largest force with 71 seats. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party secured 11 seats, and both the CPN (ML) and the Nepal Sadbhawana Party won five seats each. Samyukta Janamorcha and the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party also gained representation, winning one seat each. In total, twelve women were elected to the House of Representatives.

At the time, Nepal had 13,518,839 registered voters. Voter participation was relatively strong, with a turnout of 65.79 percent. Invalid votes accounted for 2.75 percent of the total ballots cast, marking the lowest proportion of invalid votes recorded in a general election up to that point. The 1999 elections reaffirmed the dominance of the Nepali Congress while maintaining the CPN (UML) as a major opposition force, setting the stage for the political developments that followed in the early 2000s.

When and how were Nepal’s 1991 general elections held, and what followed?

Following the restoration of democracy in 1990, Nepal held its first general election on May 12, 1991, to elect 205 members to the House of Representatives. The election was conducted under the Constitution of Nepal, 1990, which introduced a bicameral parliamentary system. Polling took place across 205 constituencies, with a total of 1,345 candidates contesting the election, including 80 independent candidates, of whom only seven were elected. At the time, there were 11,191,777 registered voters, and voter turnout reached 65.15 percent, although 4.43 percent of the votes were declared invalid.

The Nepali Congress emerged as the largest party, winning 110 seats, while the CPN (UML) secured 69 seats. In total, eight political parties and three independent candidates gained representation in the House of Representatives. The government led by Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala later dissolved the parliament in July 1994, paving the way for midterm elections.

When and how was Nepal’s midterm parliamentary election of 1994 held, and what were its outcomes?

The midterm parliamentary election in Nepal was held in November 1994 following the dissolution of the House of Representatives earlier that year. A total of 24 political parties participated in the polls, alongside independent candidates, reflecting a highly competitive political environment. In the election, five political parties and seven independent candidates won seats, with the CPN (UML) emerging as the largest party by securing 88 seats. The Nepali Congress followed closely with 83 seats, while the remaining seats were distributed among three other parties.

As a result of the election, CPN (UML) leader Manmohan Adhikari became Nepal’s first communist prime minister, marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. Although 86 women contested the election, only seven were elected, highlighting ongoing challenges in gender representation. The total voter roll stood at 12,327,329, with voter turnout recorded at 61.86 percent. Invalid votes accounted for 3.14 percent of the ballots cast. The 1994 midterm election set the stage for a new phase of coalition politics and demonstrated the growing pluralism in Nepal’s democratic system.

When and how were the Rastriya Panchayat elections held in Nepal?

The Rastriya Panchayat elections were held in 1975 and again in 1986 under the Panchayat system, which was introduced after King Mahendra abolished the 1959 Constitution and promulgated a new constitution in 1962. Under this system, elections were conducted for the 135-member Rastriya Panchayat. The 1986 election was carried out in three phases. At that time, there were 9,034,583 registered voters and 1,548 candidates in the fray, including 73 women. To conduct the polls, 11,394 polling centers were established across the country, and around 50,000 election staff were deployed. The election process was reported to have been largely peaceful.

When and how was Nepal’s first parliamentary election held?

Nepal’s first parliamentary election was held from February 18 to March 11, 1959, marking a historic step toward representative democracy. The election was conducted on the principle of a secret ballot and followed the first-past-the-post system. A total of 109 members were elected to the House of Representatives by citizens aged 25 years and above. Alongside this, a 36-member Upper House was formed, consisting of members aged over 31, with half elected by the Lower House and the remaining half nominated by the King.

Because of limited transportation facilities and underdeveloped technology, the polling process extended over 45 days. The final results of the House of Representatives election were announced on May 11, while elections for the Upper House were held later on June 30. At least nine political parties contested the election across 109 constituencies. At the time, Nepal had 4.24 million registered voters, and voter turnout stood at 42.18 percent.

The Nepali Congress emerged as the dominant force, winning 74 seats in the House of Representatives and 13 seats in the Upper House. This led to the formation of a 19-member cabinet under Nepali Congress leader BP Koirala. Candidates from six other political parties and four independent candidates were also elected.

What was Nepal’s first election, and how was it conducted?

Nepal’s first parliamentary election was held from February 18 to March 11, 1959, and was conducted through a secret ballot under the first-past-the-post system. The 109-member House of Representatives was elected by citizens aged 25 and above, while the 36-member Upper House included members over 31 years of age, with half elected by the Lower House and half nominated by the then king. Due to limited transport and technology, polling took 45 days, with final results announced on May 11 and Upper House elections held on June 30. Nine political parties contested in 109 constituencies, with 4.24 million registered voters and a turnout of 42.18 percent. The Nepali Congress emerged dominant, winning 74 seats in the House and 13 in the Upper House, leading to the formation of a 19-member cabinet under BP Koirala. Candidates from six other parties and four independents were also elected.

What challenges are likely to shape Nepal’s upcoming elections?

Nepal has previously conducted major polls under far more difficult circumstances. Both CA elections took place in a fragile post-conflict environment, marked by serious security concerns, legal uncertainties, and political mistrust. Despite these challenges and despite election boycotts by some groups, those polls were successfully completed through coordination among the government, the Election Commission, political parties, and former Maoist rebels, with voter participation remaining relatively strong.

All major political parties are participating in the electoral process, voter registration is active, and institutional experience has grown. However, he stresses that favorable conditions alone do not guarantee success. For elections to be credible and peaceful, sustained political dialogue, active engagement by parties, meaningful voter participation, effective security arrangements, and a strong commitment from both the government and the Election Commission remain essential.

Upcoming elections will unfold in a sensitive security environment shaped by a younger, Gen Z electorate, alongside persistent concerns over protecting voting rights, ensuring fair representation across constituencies, controlling election costs, and curbing irregularities. Upreti also highlights the need to improve participation and representation of youth and marginalized communities.

Together, he argues, these steps are crucial to ensuring that future elections are not only orderly but also credible, inclusive, and reflective of Nepal’s evolving democratic aspirations.

How is Nepal’s Election Commission preparing for credible upcoming elections?

The Acting Chief Election Commissioner, Ram Prasad Bhandari, has affirmed that the Election Commission (EC) is fully prepared to conduct the upcoming elections in a free, fair, and credible manner. The EC has coordinated closely with the government, political parties, and security agencies to create a safe and conducive environment for polling.

Security forces have been deployed to manage all polling centers, including areas identified as highly sensitive, ensuring both voter safety and smooth operations on election day. Bhandari emphasized that the elections will proceed as scheduled, with participation from all registered parties, while prioritizing security, orderly management, and engagement with all stakeholders.

For this election, 68 political parties from Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system have registered with the EC, reflecting Nepal’s plural political landscape. As of November 2, the total number of registered voters stands at 18,903,689, including 837,094 new voters recently added to the rolls. The EC’s preparations aim to ensure that this large and diverse electorate can exercise their rights safely and transparently, reinforcing confidence in Nepal’s democratic process.