CHITWAN, Jan 24: As parties complete nominations and start campaigning door-to-door, the election atmosphere is gradually taking shape. Party leaders and workers have begun visiting homes to seek votes, while parties organize gatherings and election-related activities. Amid this, first-time young voters are showing enthusiasm, feeling that representatives elected after the Gen Z movement will understand the aspirations of youth.
Sofil Moktan of Bharatpur Metropolitan City–10 said he is excited to vote and hopes to elect leaders who have plans to develop the country. While parties promote their candidates, the ultimate choice rests with voters, and he expressed happiness at using this right for the first time. “I am voting for the first time. I am excited. I want to choose leadership capable of developing the country,” Moktan said.
Voters can cast votes using citizenship certificate
Similarly, Ritik Rimal of Bharatpur Metropolitan City–12 said he is studying which candidate is suitable and will vote according to their agenda. “One should not vote without studying the candidates. It is important to promote good and capable leadership for the development of the country. That is how I am forming my decision,” he said. Rimal had also supported the Gen Z movement and is voting for the first time.
Shamir Sharma of Bharatpur Metropolitan City–5 is also voting for the first time in the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election on March 5. He said he is participating in the process with the hope that the country will develop after the youth movement. “If there is a good candidate, I will vote to make them win and contribute to the country’s development. I plan to vote for leadership that considers the concerns of youth,” Sharma said.
Sanchukmari Tamang also said she is voting for the first time and is studying candidates carefully to make the right choice. She said she is waiting for March 5 with the plan to vote for leaders who will think about the youth.
According to the District Election Office, 33,740 new voters have been added in the district’s three constituencies for the election on March 5. Most of them are young voters, and some are first-time registrants even if they had reached voting age earlier. The district has a total of 442,082 voters, including 217,314 men, 224,766 women, and two third-gender voters. Voting is arranged at 162 locations with 494 polling centers. In Constituency 1 there are 149,621 voters, in Constituency 2 there are 137,152 voters, and in Constituency 3 there are 155,309 voters. In the 2022 HoR election, Chitwan had 408,342 registered voters.
