People across Nepal are lining up at polling stations to sign up for voting, hoping fresh faces will win the March elections. The surge comes after the country’s political shake‑up and a mass protest movement that erupted on September 8.
The protests – sparked by youth demanding accountability from the government – turned violent. Six dozen people were killed in two days of clashes, forcing chief executive KP Sharma Oli to step down and the army to take over. Since then, the country has drifted into a new political era under interim leader former chief justice Sushila Karki.
“I’m excited to vote for the first time,” says 17‑year‑old Prashanna Dangol, a Gen‑Z voter. “I want to bring change right from home.” Her friend Shashwat Subedi adds, “It’s a mixed feeling, but I hope the future will be better.”
Karki’s eight‑member cabinet has made the upcoming March 5 parliamentary vote its top priority and will step down once the new house is sworn in. The interim government passed an ordinance that upgrades the Voter List Act to let more people register even after the election date is announced. Under the old rule, registration stops once the election day is set, leaving many young voters without a chance.
The Election Commission opened registration at all voting offices and set a deadline for the end of October. The new law will let citizens who missed registration earlier join the roll. If the old version held, only those on the list by September 12 would be able to vote.
So far, 18.15 million voters have been registered as of mid‑April 2025, up 160 k from the 18 million in November 2022. That means tens of thousands of newly eligible young voters could finally cast their ballots this March.
With the country’s political climate still changing, voters are hopeful that the new parliament will bring reforms and transparency. The key question remains: will the fresh mandates born from the protests reshape Nepal’s future?
Source: aninews
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