KATHMANDU: Stay updated with Nepal News’ evening briefing, bringing you the day’s most important developments from Nepal and across the globe. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we deliver a concise roundup of the top news you need to know.

Japan and EU Welcome Peaceful Conduct of Nepal’s Elections

The Government of Japan and the European Union (EU) have issued statements welcoming the peaceful conduct of Nepal’s House of Representatives election held on Thursday. Japanese Press Secretary Kitamura Toshihiro noted on Saturday that the polls were free and transparent, following monitoring by a team led by Shimada Tomoaki. Similarly, the EU congratulated the Election Commission and security agencies for a dignified process. Both international partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Nepal’s democratic consolidation and future development. China also joined the praise, with spokesperson Mao Ning noting the 60% voter turnout as a positive sign of political stability.

Newly Elected National Assembly Members to Take Oath on March 9

The oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected members of the National Assembly is scheduled for Monday. Federal Parliament General Secretary Padma Prasad Pandey announced on Saturday that the ceremony will take place at 2:00 PM in Singha Durbar. Members wishing to take the oath in their mother tongue must provide a translated version by Sunday. This transition follows the completion of terms for 19 members on March 4, including Vice Chairperson Bimala Ghimire. Currently, two seats remain vacant due to the death of Baldev Bohara and a pending presidential nomination.

New Parliament Building in Singha Durbar Prepared for First Session

The newly elected House of Representatives will hold its inaugural meeting at the under-construction Federal Parliament Building in Singha Durbar. The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction confirmed on Saturday that while the entire complex is not finished, a main hall with minimum services will be ready within one week. The shift is mandatory, as the previous venue at the Birendra International Convention Center remains unusable following arson during the September 8 and 9, 2025, ‘Gen Z’ protests. Project Director Roshan Shrestha stated that the Rs 5.03 billion project has reached 93% physical progress and must be functional by mid-April.

Mahabir Pun Wins Myagdi Seat with Overwhelming Majority

Independent candidate Dr. Mahabir Pun has been elected as the Member of the House of Representatives from Myagdi, defeating the outgoing Minister for Education, Science, and Technology. According to Chief Election Officer Surya Bahadur Thapa on Saturday, Pun secured 22,850 votes, winning by a margin of 14,931 votes over Hari Krishna Shrestha of the CPN (UML), who received 7,919 votes. Karna Bahadur Bhandari of the Nepali Congress came third with 6,673 votes. Pun, a renowned scientist and innovator, requested supporters to refrain from victory celebrations until the proportional vote counting is completed.

High Percentage of Invalid Votes Reported in Panchthar Counting

Significant voter confusion has led to a high rate of invalid ballots in Panchthar during the ongoing House of Representatives election count. As of Saturday, the Chief Election Officer’s office reported that 1,725 votes, or 5.37% of the 32,129 ballots counted so far, have been declared void. Issues include multiple thumbprints, markings on more than two symbols, and ink smudges. While 71,170 total votes were cast in the district, officials fear the invalid count may rise as 31 wards remain uncounted. Analysts suggest the lack of effective voter education contributed to this trend, which saw 13% invalidity in the 2022 elections.

Vote Counting Commences in Gorkha-1 Following Helicopter Transport

Counting for the House of Representatives has officially begun in Gorkha-1 after the final ballot boxes were delivered by helicopter. Chief Election Officer Bishnu Prasad Gautam stated on Saturday that boxes from 23 remote polling stations in Northern Gorkha were airlifted by the Army to the District Coordination Committee building. A total of 64,005 votes were cast in the constituency out of 120,525 registered voters. Key contenders in this race include Prem Khatri of the Nepali Congress, Hariraj Adhikari of the NCP, RC Lamichhane of the CPN (UML), and Sudhan Gurung of the RSP.

Mugu Ballot Boxes Transported by Foot Over 80 Kilometers

Vote counting in Mugu remains delayed as election staff transport ballot boxes by foot from the remote Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality. Chief Election Officer Min Bahadur Kunwar reported on Saturday that boxes from the Mugu and Dolphu centers are being carried over an 80-kilometer mountainous trail. Due to the difficult terrain, the boxes are expected to reach the district headquarters late this afternoon, after which an all-party meeting will be held to start the count. The single-constituency district features candidates from the CPN (UML), Nepali Congress, NCP, and RSP, with Purna Bahadur Rokaya and Khadga Shahi among the lead contenders.

Dolpa Vote Counting Resumes After Dispute Over Forged Ballots

Vote counting in Dolpa resumed at 5:30 AM on Saturday, following a temporary halt due to allegations of forged ballots. The dispute began when five ballots with counterfoils were found without signatures from election officers or voters in Kaike Rural Municipality wards 4 and 5. Candidates from the CPN (UML), RPP, and others protested, leading to a coordinated meeting. Chief District Officer Junu Hamal Dhakal confirmed that a consensus was reached to invalidate the five disputed ballots, allowing the process to continue in the presence of all political representatives and security personnel.

RSP Secures 54% of Proportional Votes Counted Nationwide

The Election Commission has counted approximately 350,000 proportional representation votes as of Saturday afternoon. Currently, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leads with 54% of the valid votes, followed by the Nepali Congress at 16% and CPN (UML) at 13%. The Nepali Communist Party (NCP) and RPP both hold around 5% each, while the Shram Sanskriti Party has crossed 2%. Current trends suggest only these five parties are likely to cross the electoral threshold. The Election Commission estimates a total of 11 million votes were cast nationwide.

RSP Maintains Lead as Vote Counting Continues

Vote counting for the House of Representatives elections is ongoing nationwide. The Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has now won more than 51 seats and leads in multiple constituencies by 5 PM today. The Nepali Congress has secured 8 victories, while the CPN (UML) and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) each have 2 winners so far. Current tallies show 10 Congress candidates, 9 CPN (UML) candidates, and 7 NCP candidates leading. The Shram Sanskriti Party has 4 frontrunners, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party holds a lead in 1 constituency. Counting continues as results remain provisional.

RSP Candidate Rajunath Pandey Defeats Kulman Ghising in Kathmandu-3

Rajunath Pandey of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged victorious in Kathmandu-3, defeating high-profile candidate Kulman Ghising. Election Officer Chamila Bhattarai confirmed on Saturday that Pandey secured 18,757 votes, winning by a margin of over 7,000 votes. Ghising, former managing director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, finished in second place with 11,171 votes. This result further solidifies the RSP’s dominance in the capital, where the party has consistently outperformed established administrative and political figures in the ongoing House of Representatives vote count.

Sobita Gautam Secures Massive Victory Over Renu Dahal in Chitwan-3

Sobita Gautam of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has been re-elected to the House of Representatives after defeating Renu Dahal of the Nepali Communist Party (NKP) by a landslide margin of 38,662 votes. In the results declared on Saturday, Gautam secured 59,277 votes compared to Dahal’s 20,615. Dahal, who resigned as Bharatpur mayor to contest the polls, suffered a major defeat in her home turf. Gautam, a lawyer and active parliamentarian who previously represented Kathmandu-2, was strategically moved to Chitwan-3 by the RSP for this election cycle.

Dharmaraj KC Defeats UML General Secretary in Lamjung

Dharmaraj KC of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has secured a major upset in Lamjung, defeating CPN (UML) General Secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung. Final results on Saturday show KC winning with 33,898 votes, while Gurung trailed significantly with 16,876 votes. Gam Prasad Gurung of the Nepali Congress finished a close third with 16,569 votes. This defeat marks a significant shift in the political landscape for Gurung, a veteran leader who has long held sway in the region, as the RSP continues its strong performance in the House of Representatives elections.

Sharat Singh Bhandari Faces Imminent Defeat in Mahottari-2

Veteran politician Sharat Singh Bhandari of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal is on the verge of losing his seat in Mahottari-2 to Deepak Kumar Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). As of 2:45 PM on Saturday, Shah leads with 23,460 votes (57%), while Bhandari has only 7,046 votes (17%). With only 23,000 votes left to count and a trailing margin of over 16,000, Bhandari’s four-decade parliamentary career appears to be ending. Bhandari, who has held various ministerial posts since the Panchayat era, previously stated this would be his final election.

CPN (UML) Candidates Lead in Both Ilam Constituencies

The CPN (UML) has taken the lead in both electoral constituencies of Ilam as of Saturday. In Ilam-1, Kajiman Kagate leads with 2,803 votes, overtaking Nishkal Rai of the Nepali Congress (2,589) and Binod Nembang Limbu of the Shram Sanskriti Party (2,546). Meanwhile, in Ilam-2, Suhang Nembang maintains a strong lead with 12,575 votes. He is followed by Sudip Rai of the Shram Sanskriti Party with 10,836 votes, while Bhesh Raj Acharya of the Nepali Congress remains in third place with 6,871 votes. Counting is ongoing for the House of Representatives seats.

NCP Struggles in Kathmandu with Less Than 4 Percent Vote Share

The Nepali Communist Party (NCP), led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has failed to secure significant support in Kathmandu, garnering only 3.89% of the total valid votes. According to Election Commission data on Saturday, NCP candidates received 18,343 votes out of 463,342 cast across 10 constituencies. In most areas, including Kathmandu-1 and Kathmandu-5, NCP candidates like Menuka Bhandari and Kalpana Sharma finished in 7th place, failing to cross the 10% threshold required to save their candidacy deposits. This marks a historic low for the unified left force in the capital.

Lightman Shambhu Bhattarai Passes Away During Film Shoot

Film technician Shambhu Bhattarai, 47, passed away in Dharan on Friday. Bhattarai, a well-known lightman in the Nepali film industry, collapsed while preparing for the shoot of the movie Karki Saila. Despite being rushed for medical help, he was pronounced dead shortly after. Lead actor Jitu Nepal and Nepal Film Technicians Association President Pushkar Lama expressed deep shock over the sudden loss. Bhattarai, a resident of Kharibot, Kathmandu, is survived by his wife and two sons. His funeral is scheduled for today at Pashupati Aryaghat following a post-mortem examination in Dharan.

Actress Priyanka Karki Publicly Supports RSP in General Election

Popular actress Priyanka Karki revealed on Saturday that she cast her vote for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). In a Facebook post, she stated her decision was based on a careful comparison of candidate qualifications and plans rather than traditional rhetoric. Karki emphasized her desire for educated, accountable leadership over long-standing political promises. Her endorsement concluded with the slogan “Ab ki Baar, Balen Sarkar,” reflecting a wider trend among urban voters and celebrities supporting the “Gen Z” political shift. This comes as RSP candidates in the Kathmandu Valley have secured approximately 60% of the total votes.

Actress Nisha Adhikari Vows Continued Political Activism Despite Election Defeat

Actress Nisha Adhikari, candidate for the Gatishil Loktantrik Party in Kathmandu-5, has pledged to continue her political journey despite receiving only 91 votes. Following the victory of Sasmit Pokharel of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) with 30,737 votes, Adhikari stated on Saturday that elections are an exercise in ideas rather than just a win-loss competition. She emphasized the importance of a strong “street opposition” to safeguard the citizens’ voice, especially as the formal opposition in parliament appears weakened. Adhikari expressed hope that a woman would eventually represent Kathmandu-5 and viewed this chapter as the beginning of her service-oriented career.

Sanju Samson Aims for Match-Winning Performance in T20 Final

Indian opener Sanju Samson, 31, is focused on delivering a title-winning performance as India faces New Zealand in the ICC T20 World Cup final tomorrow, Sunday. Samson’s 89 runs off 42 balls were crucial in defeating England in the semifinals. Speaking ahead of the clash at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Samson attributed his recent form to staying away from social media and focusing on hard work. India has the chance to become the first team to successfully defend the title and become the most successful team in the tournament’s history with three wins.

Russian Drone and Missile Strikes Kill 6 Across Ukraine

Russian forces launched a massive overnight drone and missile attack across Ukraine, resulting in at least six deaths and numerous injuries. On Saturday, officials reported that a ballistic missile destroyed a residential building in Kharkiv, killing five people and injuring ten, including three children. Another death was reported in the Nikopol district following 20 separate strikes involving artillery and rockets. In response to the escalating aerial bombardment, the Polish Air Force scrambled military aircraft to secure its border with Ukraine. This latest surge in violence has triggered nationwide air raid sirens and forced thousands into emergency shelters.

India Asserts Autonomy Over Russian Oil Imports Amid Rising Fuel Costs

The Indian government has reiterated its stance on continuing Russian crude oil imports without seeking permission from any other nation. In a statement released on Saturday, the Press Information Bureau clarified that India does not rely on US waivers to secure its energy needs. This assertion comes as global oil prices surged by 30% this week due to military tensions between Israel, the USA, and Iran. While maintaining a reserve of 250 million barrels, India increased domestic LPG cylinder prices by 7% today. As the world’s second-largest LPG buyer, India remains highly sensitive to the volatile Middle East supply chain.