KATHMANDU, Sept 24: President Ramchandra Paudel has issued an ordinance amending the Voter List Act, 2073, enabling new voter registration ahead of next year’s House of Representatives (HoR) elections.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sushila Karki met with President Paudel, during which the government formally presented the ordinance, according to the Office of the President.
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The ordinance allows citizens of the Gen Z generation who have reached voting age but are not yet on the voter list to register and exercise their right to vote. People aged 18 or older are now eligible to cast their vote in the upcoming elections.
The interim government formed after the recent Gen Z protests of September 8 and 9 announced the HoR election on March 5, 2026. The ordinance was introduced amid calls from youths that a large number of Gen Z are yet to register in the voters’ list. Analysts say the inclusion of these young voters could shape future electoral outcomes and policy priorities.
Election Commission (EC) spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said the ordinance removes previous legal obstacles to voter list collection. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari added that voter registration will open within a day or two and remain available throughout the Nepali month of Ashwin (mid-September to mid-October). The extended registration period has been introduced to allow citizens to enrol ahead of the HoR election scheduled for March 5, 2026.
