Nepal election with 18.9 million voters begins after Gen Z protests toppled Oli government

Nepal began voting on Thursday in a closely watched general election held months after a wave of youth-led protests forced the collapse of the government led by KP Sharma Oli.

More than 18.9 million registered voters are choosing members of the 275-seat House of Representatives in a contest widely seen as a test of whether the country’s entrenched political leadership can withstand the momentum of a Gen Z movement that erupted onto the streets last September. The demonstrations turned violent and left more than 75 people dead across the Himalayan nation.

Voting underway across the country

Polling opened at 7 am and will continue until 5 pm at 10,967 booths spread across 23,112 polling centres. Authorities said counting would begin as soon as ballot boxes are secured, with results from first-past-the-post seats expected within 24 hours.

Under Nepal’s mixed electoral system, 165 seats in the lower house will be decided through direct contests using the first-past-the-post method. The remaining 110 seats will be distributed through proportional representation.

A total of 3,406 candidates are contesting the 165 directly elected constituencies, while another 3,135 candidates are competing for the proportional representation seats. In all, 65 political parties are taking part in the vote.

To secure the election process, more than 300,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide. Helicopters will be used to transport ballot boxes from remote and mountainous regions.

Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal urged citizens to participate in the vote, calling on people to cast their ballots “without worry,” while assuring that authorities would ensure a free and fair election. The government has also declared a three-day public holiday to encourage voter turnout.

From protests to a snap election

The election follows a turbulent political period triggered by mass protests in September 2025. On September 8 and 9, thousands of young demonstrators poured into the streets of Kathmandu and other cities, accusing the political establishment of corruption, nepotism and resisting generational change.

Clashes between protesters and security forces paralysed parts of the capital and intensified pressure on the government.

Amid mounting unrest, KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), stepped down. President Ramchandra Paudel subsequently dissolved the House of Representatives and appointed Sushila Karki as caretaker Prime Minister, setting the stage for snap polls.

Old guard versus new challengers

The election has shaped up as a contest between established political forces and emerging players seeking to capitalise on the protest movement.

Oli, 75, remains the prime ministerial face of the CPN-UML and has campaigned on a platform centred on political stability. The Nepali Congress has nominated 49-year-old Gagan Thapa as its candidate for prime minister, signalling an attempt to bring younger leadership into a traditional party structure.

At the same time, the Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP), led by Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, has positioned itself as the political expression of the youth movement.

Balen, 35, is contesting from Jhapa-5, directly challenging Oli in a constituency the veteran leader has won six times, making it one of the most closely watched races in the election.

(With inputs from PTI)