Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has said that necessary preparations have already begun for conducting the House of Representatives elections on March 5. 

“It is now irrelevant to argue whether the elections will be held or not,” he said.

Addressing the concluding session of a two-day orientation organized by the Election Commission (EC) for political parties on submitting closed lists of candidates under the proportional representation (PR) system, he added, “Holding the elections is an obligation in the present situation.”

He emphasized that political issues related to the elections will be resolved politically, and the EC will uphold matters addressed through political and legal means. 

According to the Acting Chief Election Commissioner, the elections are also essential for the regularization of the Constitution. He urged political parties to select capable candidates and contribute to establishing good governance.

Bhandari also called on political parties to consider caste, language, class, and geography while submitting closed lists for the PR system. 

He urged them to avoid politics of prohibition and to help create an environment conducive to the election. He further reminded parties of the importance of complying with the election code of conduct.

“No one is expected to create obstacles for the elections,” he said, encouraging parties to engage with voters politely. “The Election Commission’s role is to act as a referee during the elections; the players are the political parties,” he added, reminding them of their responsibility to ensure a successful election.

The orientation was attended by EC Commissioners Dr Janaki Kumari Tuladhar and Sagun Shumsher JB Rana, Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut, Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, and two representatives from each of the 93 political parties that applied to take part in the PR election.

With President Ram Chandra  Paudel, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, issuing the House of Representatives Member Election (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082, political parties are now required to submit closed lists under the PR system based on the population percentages of Dalits, Indigenous Nationalities, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu, and Muslims according to the 2078 census report. The lists must be inclusive.

The closed lists are to be submitted to the EC between 10 am and 4 pm on December 28-29. 

Spokesperson Bhattarai confirmed that the EC is fully prepared for this process.