FPTP Nominations Show Minimal Change from Previous Cycles
________________ As Nepal prepares for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections, political parties have finalized their First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) candidate lists, igniting renewed debate over the participation of women, youth, and marginalized communities. According to preliminary reports, a total of 2,263 candidates have filed from 68 political parties, while 1,143 individuals have filed as independent candidates. In the proportional representation category, 58 political parties have registered. These numbers highlight the scale of competition, but they also raise questions about how inclusive the process truly is. This election is particularly significant as it follows the Gen-Z movement, a youth-led uprising that reshaped political discourse in Nepal. The movement demanded greater youth involvement, more equitable representation, and the transformation of long-standing power structures. At first glance, the candidate lists show some signs of generational change, as several parties have nominated first-time candidates and younger faces. A total of 583 candidates between the ages of 25 and 35—comprising 515 males and 67 females—account for 16.7 percent of all nominations. Candidates aged 36 to 50 account for 1,610 nominations, representing a substantial 46.2 percent of the total. For example, out of Rastriya Swatantra Party’s (RSP) 163 candidates, nearly 40 percent are under 40 (including 12 under 30 and 53 aged 30–40). Similarly, the Nepali Congress has nominated 97 new candidates, 7 of whom are under the age of 40. And in contrast, 33 percent of the candidates are above the age of 50 in UML. Despite these figures, youth participation remains limited compared to the expectations generated by the Gen-Z movement. Alongside, more concerning is also the persistent underrepresentation of women in FPTP candidacies. Among major parties, women continue to occupy only a small fraction of tickets. The Nepali Congress has nominated just 11 women, representing 6.67 percent of its 165 FPTP seats, far below the constitutionally mandated one-third threshold. The RSP has fielded 17 women candidates, or 10.3 percent, while the CPN-UML has allocated only eight seats to women, and the National Communist Party (NCP) has nominated 10. Collectively, 18 districts have no women candidates at all, underscoring systemic exclusion. This disconnect is especially stark when viewed against the composition of the electorate. Women constitute nearly half of the voters, while youth voters make up 52 percent. Yet their presence in FPTP candidacy remains disproportionately low. The representation of Dalits (2.18%), sexual and gender minorities (0.02%) and other marginalized communities is even weaker. The fact that these patterns persist across both traditional and newer political parties suggests that the issue is very deep-rooted and structural. Barriers such as unequal access to resources, entrenched party hierarchies, and prevailing social norms continue to influence candidate selection. While striving for a more inclusive electoral process, Nepal must also address these underlying factors, which contribute to the entrenched gerontocracy in politics. Without deliberate reforms to create space for youth, women, and marginalized groups, the promise of this inclusive democracy remains symbolic, falling short of the meaningful change envisioned by the Gen-Z movement. | | | | Government Launches Election Police Cyber Cell: The government has launched an Election Police Cyber Cell to curb online rumors, mis/disinformation, and digital interference that could affect the election. Announced by Home Minister Omprakash Aryal and officials, the cell will work with the Election Commission to track suspicious content on social media, support investigations, remove verified misinformation, and take legal action when necessary. ECN to Use AI Tool “E-Monitor Plus” for Social Media Monitoring: Ahead of the HOR elections, the Election Commission has announced the use of an AI-based monitoring system, “E-Monitor Plus,” to curb negative and misleading online activities. Working with the Nepali Army and Nepal Police, the system tracks misinformation, hate speech, and harmful content across major social media platforms. The system is trained on 200+ media links and election-related keywords, it analyzes content in Devanagari, Roman Nepali, and English. Meanwhile, the commission has stated private messages will remain inaccessible. ECN Launches Joint Election Operations Centre for 2082 House Elections: The Election Commission has launched the Joint Election Operations Centre (JEOC) to facilitate the election process. Led by the Commission Secretary, the centre brings together representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and all four security agencies, including the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force. The JEOC will monitor election developments nationwide, compile daily situation reports, coordinate security reviews, address emerging challenges, and propose measures to prevent and manage election-related incidents. Half of PR Ballots Printed: As of January 20, 2026, the Janak Education Materials Center has printed 1,230,000 PR ballots for the upcoming HOR elections, completing around 50% of the required 2,083,000 ballots. The center has delivered 1,098,200 ballots to the Election Commission, packed in 7,841 boxes so far. Printing for the direct election ballots will begin after the final candidate list and election symbols are confirmed. | | DRN Publishes Handbook on ‘Digital Rights & Election Reporting’
________________Amid rising threats from misinformation, disinformation, and digital interference in elections, Digital Rights Nepal (DRN), in collaboration with the Federation of Nepali Journalists and with support from Media Defence, has published the “Practical Handbook on Digital Rights and Security, Information Integrity, and Election Reporting.” Designed mainly for journalists working in the digital space, the handbook offers practical guidance on digital security, privacy, fact-checking, identifying misinformation, and ethical election reporting. It aims to strengthen safe, informed, and responsible journalism during elections and other sensitive periods, supporting accurate, accountable, and democratic reporting in the digital era.
Full read : Digital Rights, Safety, Information Integrity & Election Reporting | | | This weekly newsletter is jointly produced by ‘Accountability Lab Nepal’ and ‘Digital Rights Nepal’ to provide meaningful information to counter misinformation and common misconceptions regarding Nepal’s 2026 House of Representatives Election. It aims to promote electoral integrity and enable informed citizenry by delivering non-partisan, evidence-based analysis, and rights-oriented perspective. It does not endorse or oppose any political party or candidates. The data presented here is synthesized from diverse credible sources, including government agencies, international organizations, news media, social platforms, and our extensive local networks. We select the topics based on their prevalence, relevance, and potential societal impact, ensuring all information is accurate and verified at the time of publication. | | | |
