| One-Third of Polling Stations Classified as Highly Sensitive for 2082 Elections
For the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled March 5, 2026, Election Commission, Nepal has identified 10,967 polling stations and 23,112 polling centers, of which one-third (3,680 polling stations) have been classified as highly sensitive from a security perspective. An additional 4,442 stations are listed as sensitive, while 2,845 are considered normal. The government will deploy more than 325,000 security personnel from multiple agencies to ensure election security, with deployments tailored to sensitivity assessments at provincial and district levels. The single-phase election will choose 275 House of Representatives members, 165 through direct elections and 110 via proportional representation. ECN Establishes Election Information Center for 2082 Polls
Election Commission, Nepal (ECN) has set up an Election Information Dissemination and Coordination Center (EIDC) to ensure effective communication for the House of Representatives election 2082, scheduled for March 5, 2026. The EIDC aims to support free, fair, transparent, and credible elections by providing timely and official information to voters, candidates, political parties, media, and other stakeholders. It functions through three coordinated units: the Election Information and Communication Center (Press Office), Information Integrity Promotion Unit, and Digital Voter Education Unit. The Commission stated that the Centre will play a key role in countering misinformation, propaganda, hate speech, fake accounts, and AI-generated deepfake content, particularly on social media, in coordination with platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and X. It will also produce and disseminate simple, citizen-friendly voter education materials. ECN Debunks Misinformation Circulating on Social Media Over Election Expense Reports
Election Commission, Nepal (ECN) has debunked misinformation circulating on social media and in some media outlets regarding alleged actions against election candidates over undisclosed election expenses. In a press release issued on 31 December 2025, the ECN expressed serious concern over misleading narratives and clarified that such claims do not reflect the Commission’s decisions. The Commission clarified that no candidates have been disqualified on the basis of failing to submit election expense report, contrary to claims spreading on social media. The ECN also urged the public and media to rely on official sources and refrain from spreading unverified information that could mislead citizens and undermine electoral credibility. ECN Publishes Final Voter List for March 5 Elections
Election Commission has released the final voter list for the House of Representatives elections 2082. The total number of voters is 18,903,689, comprising 9,663,358 males, 9,240,131 females, and 200 others. Compared to the 2079 elections, 915,119 new voters have been added (522,552 males, 392,552 females, and 15 others). To accommodate the increase, the Commission has set up 10,967 polling stations and 23,112 polling centers, an increase of 75 stations and 885 centers from the previous election. Surge of Mis/Disinformation and Hate Speech as Elections Near
As the House of Representatives election approaches, mis/disinformation and hate speech are rapidly surging on social media. Women candidates like Ranju Darshana are facing gendered abuse and harassment targeting their bodies and personal lives, while false and manipulated content about political figures like Balen Shah is being circulated to incite hatred, mistrust, and polarization. These trends highlight how elections are increasingly becoming flashpoints for online abuse, misinformation, and coordinated attacks that undermine democratic discourse and digital safety. ECN Grants Permission to 40 Organizations for Election Observation
The ECN has approved 40 organizations to monitor the upcoming House of Representatives elections. Out of 51 applicant organizations, including national and international bodies, 36 national and 4 international organizations met the requirements under the Election Observation Guidelines, 2079 and were granted permission. Approved international observers include The Carter Center, ANFREL, the Multidisciplinary Institute of Training and Learning, and the International Republican Institute. NRB Flags Rising Risks of Illegal Virtual Asset Use in Nepal
Nepal Rastra Bank’s Financial Information Unit has released the Strategic Analysis Report 2025 on Virtual Assets, highlighting serious risks of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing (ML/TF/PF) linked to virtual assets in Nepal. Virtual assets, such as cryptocurrencies, are digital assets with economic value but no physical form.
Key findings show that 75% of suspicious users are aged 21-35, many of them students and employees, with transactions frequently conducted using terms like Bitcoin, Crypto, USDT, and Binance. Despite Nepal criminalizing virtual assets more strictly in January 2025, enforcement remains difficult due to technological complexity and cross-border nature. Citizen Power or Centralized Control? Questions Around National Unification Campaign
Gen Z leader Sudan Gurung has announced the National Unification Campaign and “The Civilian Force”, launching a test version of a platform (rastraekikaranabhiyan.com) to collect citizens’ issues and push them to the state using technology and AI. While framed as a non-political, citizen-led initiative, the platform raises serious concerns around ownership and accountability, data protection and privacy, AI reliability, misinformation, retaliation risks, cybersecurity, and the dangers of centralizing sensitive civic data under an unelected “civilian force” or “shadow government.” Scam Alert: Fake WhatsApp Account Targets Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol
A fake WhatsApp account has been created using the name and photo of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol to solicit money from the public. Deputy Mayor Dangol issued a public warning on social media, clarifying that she has no connection with these fake accounts, and urged public to stay vigilant, verify any requests for money, and avoid falling victim to fraud. Such scams have been increasingly targeting public figures, with previous incidents involving celebrities like Swastima Khadka, Keki Adhikari, Trishna Gurung, and Akash Shrestha. Nepal Launches Digital System to Track Foreign Visitors
From January 1, 2026, Nepal has launched the Foreign Nationals Management Information System (FNMIS), a nationwide digital platform that tracks foreign visitors from entry to exit. Integrating data from immigration, hotels, airlines, and travel agencies, it replaces manual logs with a real-time database. FNMIS is claimed to enhance visitor safety and national security, enabling rapid response in emergencies, preventing visa misuse. Special Court Summons CIAA Expert for Cross-Examination in TERAMOCS Case
The Special Court has ordered the summoning of CIAA expert Keshav Gyawali for cross-examination in the Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s TERAMOCS procurement case. The bench of judges Narayan Prasad Paudel and Hemant Rawal issued the order on 24 Poush. Gyawali, a former UTL employee, prepared the expert report on behalf of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). In the TERAMOCS case, 18 individuals, including former minister Mohan Bahadur Basnet and former NTA chairpersons, along with two companies, face charges of irregularities in the procurement process. |
