Voter Education
Understanding Nepal's Electoral System
Learn about Nepal's electoral system and voting process
Essential Knowledge
What is an Election?
Elections are held to allow citizens to choose their representatives in a democratic manner. Through elections, people exercise their right to participate in governance.
Your vote matters because it determines who will represent you and make decisions on behalf of your community. Every vote contributes to shaping the future of the nation.
Nepal's Parliamentary System
The House of Representatives (рдкреНрд░рддрд┐рдирд┐рдзрд┐ рд╕рднрд╛) is the lower house of Nepal's Federal Parliament. It consists of 275 members elected by the people.
Members of Parliament (MPs) represent their constituencies and participate in making laws, discussing national issues, and holding the government accountable.
After elections, the party or coalition with a majority forms the government.
Real-World Example
In 2022, Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed a coalition government with support from 169 MPs, including CPN-UML (78), CPN-Maoist Centre (32), RSP (20), RPP (14), and others, showing how smaller parties play a crucial role in forming a stable government.
What Does ONE Vote Mean?
In a democratic election, each eligible citizen gets exactly one vote. This ensures equality - every person's voice has equal weight regardless of their background.
Your single vote joins with others to determine the final result.
Real-World Example
In the 2022 election for Kathmandu 1, Rabindra Mishra was defeated by Prakash Man Singh by a narrow margin of just 125 votes, proving that every single vote counts.
Votes that are not cast correctly (wrong marking, multiple stamps, unclear choice) are rejected and not counted. That's why it's important to vote properly.
Types of Elections in Nepal
Nepal uses two systems to elect members of the House of Representatives:
First Past The Post (FPTP) - рдкреНрд░рддреНрдпрдХреНрд╖: In FPTP, you vote directly for a person/candidate. e.g., Voting for a specific leader like Gagan Thapa or KP Oli. The candidate with the most votes in your constituency wins. 165 members are elected this way.
Proportional Representation (PR) - рд╕рдорд╛рдиреБрдкрд╛рддрд┐рдХ: In PR, you vote directly for a political party. e.g., Voting for Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, or RSP. Seats are allocated based on the total percentage of votes a party gets nationwide. 110 members are elected this way.
Both systems work together to ensure fair representation. FPTP gives you a local representative, while PR ensures parties get seats proportional to their overall support.