As Nepal gears up for the general elections scheduled for March 5, 2026, the Election Commission (EC) has received applications from 17 new political parties seeking registration to participate in the polls, officials said.
According to EC spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, 10 of the parties submitted their applications before the election date was announced on September 12, while seven applied afterward.
The new entrants bring the total number of registered political parties in the country to 124.
Among the new applicants are two parties claiming to represent the Gen-Z movement that played a key role in the protests leading to the fall of the K.P. Sharma Oli-led government last month.
Nepal’s political landscape underwent a major shift after President Ramchandra Paudel appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the caretaker Prime Minister following Oli’s resignation.
On Karki’s recommendation, the President dissolved the House of Representatives and called for fresh elections in March 2026.
The EC is currently scrutinising documents submitted by the new parties before granting formal approval. The deadline for registering new political parties and voters is November 16.
Meanwhile, voter enrolment has picked up pace ahead of the elections, with over 85,000 new voters registered as of October 31.
The commission said around 5,000 to 6,000 people are registering daily.
The EC has also invited applications from national and international organisations wishing to observe the elections.
Interested groups must apply by November 12 with the required documentation.
