Nepal’s general election, scheduled for March 5, is more than just a transition of power—it will determine whether the country can regain stability after the recent wave of anger led by Gen Z against corruption, unemployment, and political instability. The election became inevitable after last September’s youth‑led mass protests in Kathmandu forced the government to collapse.
In a country of around 30.5 million people, more than 18.9 million voters, including nearly 9.2 million women, will cast their ballot. Voting will take place on a single day using paper ballots across 10,967 polling centers. A total of 3,484 candidates from 68 political parties and independent groups are contesting for the 275 seats in the House of Representatives. Currently, Nepal is being governed by an interim administration headed by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.
Nepal’s electoral model is based on the mixed system adopted under the 2015 Constitution. Of the 275 parliamentary seats, 165 are elected directly through the First‑Past‑The‑Post system, while 110 seats are filled through proportional representation. The aim is to prevent dominance by any single party and ensure fair representation for smaller parties and minorities. As a result, coalition governments have been the norm, though this has also contributed to continued political instability.
The race for the prime minister’s position is particularly competitive this time. Former PM and CPN‑UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli, contesting again from Jhapa‑5, remains a strong contender despite resigning in September 2025 under youth movement pressure. His political base in eastern Nepal remains significant.
Challenging him is 35‑year‑old Balen Shah, the rising face of Gen Z aspirations. A structural engineer‑turned‑rapper‑turned‑politician, Shah enjoys massive popularity on social media. He recently resigned as Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City to join the Rastriya Swatantra Party, led by former TV journalist‑turned‑politician Rabi Lamichhane. Even with opinion polls banned in Nepal, public discourse suggests that Shah is emerging as a major force capable of reaching Singha Durbar, Nepal’s power center.
The third major contender is the Nepali Congress, the country’s oldest party, which has projected its new president Gagan Kumar Thapa as its prime ministerial face. He replaces five‑time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who chose not to contest this election. Another former PM, Jhala Nath Khanal, has also withdrawn from the race.
Veteran left leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is active once again. The Maoist movement he led from 1996 to 2006 ended Nepal’s 240‑year monarchy and paved the way for the federal democratic republic established in 2008. Yet, the fact that Nepal has seen more than 14 governments in the last two decades shows that stability remains the nation’s biggest challenge.
The Election Commission has enforced a strict code of conduct this time, including a clear ban on minors participating in campaign activities. Ballot boxes will be transported to Kathmandu immediately after voting ends at 5 PM on March 5. Results for the direct seats are expected within 24 hours, while the proportional representation count may take two to three days.
Nepal shares an open 1,751‑kilometer border with India, making Kathmandu’s political stability crucial for eastern and northeastern India as well. Recently, India provided around 100 pickup vehicles and other logistical support for electoral preparations. China’s growing presence in Nepal, border security, and regional balance also make this election strategically significant.
The central question now is whether this election—born out of Gen Z’s dissent—will lead Nepal toward stable, transparent, development‑oriented governance, or whether the cycle of coalition politics and power struggles will continue. The answer will be sealed inside the ballot boxes on March 5.
(Author is a columnist and political commentator from North-East)