Kathmandu: According to Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari, Thursday’s election “is a sudden one.”
He views the election of the House of Representatives, which comes against the backdrop of the Janajati (JNG) movement, in connection with the change of government. “From the start, there were security concerns in this election, which was announced by the new government formed from the old regime,” he said at a press conference held at the Election Commission on Falgun 17 (Nepali calendar).
The Janajati movement in the past Bhadra compelled then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign. On Bhadra 27, an interim government was formed under former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari referred to the Karki-led government as the “government formed by the new regime.”
After Thursday’s election, a government elected by the people will be formed. On Bhadra 27, following the recommendation of the interim government, President Ram Chandra Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives and set the election date. The Election Commission called this its “constitutional duty.”
The commission stated that it has been actively working to fulfill its responsibility to conduct a clean, fair, transparent, and credible election. All necessary preparations for this have been completed.
On the eve of the election, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari issued a special appeal, stating, “Elections are not only a process of choosing representatives and forming a government, but also a constitutional practice that renews the legitimacy of democracy. Voting, as part of strengthening democracy, is both a citizen’s right and duty.”
In his view, elections provide citizens with the opportunity to choose their representatives, participate in lawmaking and governance, and directly engage in state administration. Through this process, citizens contribute directly to expressing policies, leadership, and governance, as well as building an inclusive and accountable state.
