Campaigning for Nepal’s general elections officially concluded at midnight on Monday, marking the commencement of the mandatory silence period ahead of polling on March 5.
With the enforcement of the silence period, political parties, candidates and their supporters are prohibited from canvassing votes, holding public meetings, or visiting households to seek support. In the final hours before the deadline, parties stepped up their outreach efforts in a bid to consolidate voter backing.
The Election Commission of Nepal stated that the silence period will continue until voting is completed. Any form of election-related publicity or persuasion during this time is strictly barred under electoral regulations.
Voting is scheduled to take place from 7 am to 5 pm on Thursday. Over 1.89 million registered voters are expected to participate in the nationwide exercise.
The election will see 3,424 candidates contesting under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, while another 3,213 candidates are vying for seats under the proportional representation system.
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In the 275-member House of Representatives, 165 lawmakers will be chosen through direct elections, and the remaining 110 seats will be allocated based on proportional representation.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on February 25 announced a series of stringent measures, including a nationwide ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, ahead of the March 5 general election.
According to an official notification, the ban on alcoholic beverages, which came into force seven days ahead of the March 5 polling, will remain in effect until the final results are declared. The commission said the measure is intended to ensure a free, fair and peaceful voting process.”
