Approximately 60 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in Nepal’s House of Representatives elections that concluded on Thursday, according to the country’s election authorities.

Speaking at a press conference, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari said the nationwide polls were conducted largely in a peaceful environment, with only minor incidents reported from a few locations. Authorities deployed extensive security measures to ensure smooth voting across the Himalayan nation.

A total of 18,903,689 registered voters were eligible to participate in the elections. Polling stations opened early in the morning and remained active throughout the day as voters lined up across cities, towns, and remote mountainous regions to exercise their democratic rights.

According to Xinhua, election officials noted that turnout remained steady throughout the day, reflecting strong public interest in the parliamentary contest. Observers also reported orderly voting procedures at most polling centers.

In total, 6,541 candidates from political parties and independent groups are competing for 275 seats in Nepal’s lower house of parliament. The elections are expected to shape the country’s next government and influence its political and economic direction in the coming years.

Election officials said vote counting would begin after all ballot boxes are transported to designated counting centers, with preliminary results expected in the coming days.

BOB Post