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In a long-awaited move to fulfil a constitutional right denied to millions of citizens overseas,the government is finally taking steps to allow Nepalis living abroad to vote in national elections.

To this end, the government is preparing to issue an ordinance. The Ministry of Home Affairs has already drafted amendments to several election laws to create a legal basis for overseas voting. The draft has been sent to the Election Commission (EC) for review. 

For now, the government plans to allow overseas voting only under the proportional representation (PR) system for the House of Representatives.

In 2018, the Supreme Court had directed the government to guarantee voting rights for Nepalis living abroad. In its verdict, a bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Purushottam Bhandari instructed the state to make the necessary legal, logistical, and technological arrangements to enable voting from abroad.

That order, however, remained unimplemented. Despite multiple elections since, millions of Nepalis working, studying or residing overseas have been unable to exercise their democratic right. According to the 2021 census, nearly 2.2m Nepalis live abroad.

Election officials say they are discussing all possible models of election, including early voting, polling at diplomatic missions and online voting. 

Earlier, the Election Commission had proposed piloting voter registration in the UAE, Qatar and Malaysia, where the largest numbers of Nepali migrant workers live and work.

With the House of Representatives dissolved, the government plans to move ahead through an ordinance. Once the Election Commission submits its feedback, the Ministry of Home Affairs will forward the draft to the Council of Ministers for approval.

The proposed amendment stipulates that only Nepalis registered in the official voter list will be eligible to vote. The Election Commission will gather and confirm this data with the help of Nepali embassies and other agencies abroad.

To guide implementation, the government has asked the Policy Research Institute, a state-affiliated think tank, to conduct a study on the logistics of overseas voting, including eligible countries, management systems and vote counting mechanisms.

The home ministry also aims to address concerns that people with dual citizenship might misuse the process. The revised draft clarifies that only verified Nepali citizens listed in the Election Commission’s official voter roll will be allowed to vote from abroad.

The right to vote is guaranteed under Article 84(5) of the Constitution, which ensures every Nepali citizen aged 18 and above the right to vote in accordance with federal law. Yet without the necessary legislation, that right has remained on paper for millions working overseas.The government’s latest move has rekindled cautious optimism among migrant workers.

If all goes as planned, the next elections could mark a historic moment when Nepalis abroad finally cast their votes for home.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index extended its winning streak for the third consecutive session on Tuesday, climbing 62.29 points to close at 2,571.34 — its highest level in more than a month. 

The 2.48% jump also marked the largest single-day gain since September 21, when the benchmark index had soared by 111.70 points.

The market opened on a bullish note, with the index immediately taking a green trajectory as trading began. Although minor pullbacks occurred during mid-session, investor sentiment remained upbeat throughout the day. The benchmark hit an intraday high of 2,576.24 points before trimming some gains toward the close.

The Nepse index had closed at 2,672.25 points on September 8 — the first day of the Gen Z protests. The widespread destruction of public and private property, followed by a change in government, on September 8 and 9 weighed heavily on investor sentiment. As a result, the benchmark index slipped below the 2,500-point mark by October 16. However, Tuesday’s rally indicates that investor confidence has rebounded as the situation gradually returns to normal.

Trading activity also surged sharply on Tuesday, as total turnover nearly doubled to Rs 4.5 billion compared to the previous session. Both trading volume and total transactions saw significant increases, reflecting renewed confidence among investors after weeks of subdued trading.

Out of the traded securities, prices of 236 companies advanced, while only 12 declined and two remained unchanged. The widespread buying interest across sectors suggested that investors were positioning themselves ahead of potential corporate announcements and broader market recovery signals.

Himalayan Power Partners Ltd topped the turnover chart, with Rs 249.46 million worth of shares changing hands. Union Hydropower Ltd followed closely with Rs 232.26 million in turnover, while Radhi Bidyut Company secured the third spot with Rs 219.88 million. The prominence of hydropower stocks underscored the sector’s ongoing appeal among retail and institutional investors.

Sector-wise, all but one of Nepse’s 13 sub-indices ended in the green. The Development Bank sub-index led the rally with a robust 4.44% gain, followed by the Hydropower and Investment sub-indices, which rose 3.9% and 3.55%, respectively. The market heavyweight Banking sub-index also added 1.92%, supporting the overall upward momentum. The only laggard was the Trading sub-index which went down by 0.76%.

The back-to-back gains — the first such streak since August 27 — have lifted investor morale, suggesting that the market may be entering a short-term consolidation phase and breach the 2,600-point mark.

With turnover expanding and broad-based participation returning, traders say Nepse’s next test will be sustaining momentum amid possible profit-booking pressures in the sessions ahead.

Mustang received this season's first snowfall.  

The District Administration Office stated that it started snowing from the morning at Korala checkpoint in Upper Mustang, Muktinath region and in Lomanthang Rural Municipality. 

Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Bhusal said rainfall accompanied by snowfall is taking place in Upper Mustang's Lomanthang-2 Chhosar, Korlanaka, and Muktinath areas, as well as in the highlands of Upper and Lower Mustang.  

Similarly, Rabin Subedi, an employee of the Muktinath Development Committee, said that it has snowed in the Muktinath area, adding continuous snowfall from early morning has caused problems for devotees visiting the temple.

According to Lopsang Chomphel Bista, Chairperson of Logheker Damodarkund Rural Municipality, snowfall is occurring in Logheker Damodarkunda and there has been partial snowfall near the settlement along with rain.

“This year it snowed in Kartik month. There was no snowfall here for the past two to three years. Snowfall is very beneficial for farmers as it significantly supports the crops they have sown,” said Chairman Bista.

Similarly, Ward Chairperson Pramesh Gurung said that heavy snowfall has occurred in high-altitude villages of Baragung, including Khinga, Jhong, Chhengur, and Phalyak. He mentioned that with the snowfall, the cold has increased significantly, affecting the daily life of the local people.

Meanwhile, the District Administration Office has requested people not to travel from Baragung Muktichhetra-4 Kagbeni to Muktinath.

It stated that there is a risk of road accidents due to heavy snowfall on that road, and pilgrims going to visit Muktinath Temple are being urged not to travel in such a situation.

He stated that due to thick snow accumulation on the roads at Kalobhir, Khinga, Jharkot and other places on the Kagbeni–Muktinath road section, travellers have been requested not to take vehicles.

Trek to Annapurna Base Camp halted

Likewise, a report from Myagdi stated that tourists visiting the tourism areas in Myagdi and Mustang have faced difficulties after the occurrence of snowfall accompanied by light rain.

Since last night, there has been light rain in the hilly areas of those districts and snowfall in the higher areas.

"There is snow accumulation on the roads and trails, making it impossible to operate vehicles or to walk. Tourists have not gone out of where they are staying due to the risk. We have also urged them not to go out," said Pramesh Gurung, the ward chairman.

Tej Gurung, a hotel entrepreneur at Humkhola, located at the entrance of the Maurice Herzog Trail leading to Annapurna Base Camp, stated that there has been no movement on the trail since early this morning. 

"While about 500 tourists used to come daily, only around 200 came on Monday," he said. "Due to rain and snowfall, today's trek has been postponed."

Lok Bahadur Pun, the ward chairman of Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, said that they managed and facilitated the travel of visitors until 12 midnight, stating tourists who reached Annapurna Base Camp via the Maurice Herzog Trail had been dropped off at Narchyang and Bhurung Tatopani. 

Dambar Bahadur Pun, a hotel owner in Ghodepani, informed that tourists had suspended their trekking due to bad weather and were waiting for favourable weather. 

This year's Chhath festival concluded today by offering Argha to the rising sun this morning. The four-day festival that began last Saturday was celebrated with main puja last evening and concluded today by offering Argha to the rising sun.

This festival concluded with much fanfare by offering curd (Argha) to the rising sun in the rivers and ponds across the country including the districts of Kathmandu.

Chhath was marked in a grand manner in the districts of Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari in Mithila and others. The festival was celebrated with rituals on the banks of ponds, lakes and rivulets. The feature of the festival is to increase human being's interest in the truth and non-violence and encourage them to remain sympathetic to all living creatures.

The rising and setting suns are worshipped with devotion in the festival which is considered an attractive system of prayers to the Sun God.

There was a crowd of devotees and enthusiasts on the banks of ponds, rivers, rivulets and lakes in the festival. Chhath is a festival of goodwill, faith, and social harmony as people from all backgrounds come together in a common place to offer worship to the Sun God. It is widely believed that appeasing the Sun God brings happiness, prosperity, well-being, and longevity to family members.

The devotees observed fasting the whole day and performed puja for their ancestral deities to welcome the goddess of Sashti. Devotees consume fruits just one time on the second day of Chhath festival. There is a tradition of offering Argha to the setting sun and worshipping it in the evening by observing fast on Kartik Shukla Sasthi -- the main day of the festival.

On this day, devotees observe fasting and even do not drink water. There is a religious belief that no one will suffer from skin disease if Argha is offered by worshipping the sun ritually.