- Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Kathmandu, Jan 25: Voting for the National Assembly elections concluded today in a peaceful and enthusiastic manner, according to the Election Commission (EC). The voting was held from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm across all seven provinces, recording an overall voter turnout of 95.68 percent, EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said.
The election was conducted for 17 among 18 seats that would fall vacant in the Upper House of the federal parliament from March 4. It is noted that one seat had already been filled unopposed.
According to the Offices of the Election Officers, 345 out of 360 voters cast their votes in Koshi Province, followed by 341 out of 364 in Madhesh, 318 out of 338 in Bagmati, 286 out of 299 in Lumbini, 223 out of 228 in Gandaki, 191 out of 198 in Karnali, and 220 out of 224 in Sudurpaschim provinces.
In total, 1,924 votes were cast out of 2,011 voters across the country, the EC said. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has expressed gratitude to political parties, candidates, and all concerned stakeholders for contributing to the successful conduct of the elections. Vote counting will take place at the respective Offices of the Election Commission after collecting the ballot boxes.
Out of the 18 posts, one seat under the Khas Arya category in Koshi Province was already filled unopposed. Sunil Bahadur Thapa of the Nepali Congress was elected to this post.
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18- Home Minister urges Cyber Bureau to act swiftly against false information
Kathmandu, Jan 25: Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has said the Cyber Bureau does not need approval from senior officials or any other bodies to take action against those spreading misleading information on social sites.
During a visit to the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police at Bhotahiti, the Minister made it clear that the Bureau’s personnel are free to bring anyone violating the law under investigation. He urged the Bureau to closely monitor the spread of indecent, baseless, and legally prohibited content, as well as misinformation and disinformation on social media, in view of the upcoming election to the House of Representatives.
The Minister also called for prompt action against cases involving fake information and emphasized that the Bureau should remain more active in view of the election.
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19- NA election: NC, UML win in Lumbini
Deukhuri (Dang), Jan 25: Candidates of the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) have emerged victorious from Lumbini Province in the National Assembly (NA) elections that took place on Sunday.
Ram Kumari Jhankri of the UML won the election from the women’s category, while Chandra Bahadur KC of the Nepali Congress won from the others’ category. Similarly, Basudev Ghimire of the Nepali Congress secured victory under the disabled/minorities category.
Jhankri secured a vote weightage of 6,303 against 1,362 obtained by her nearest competitor, Durga Kumari Bhandari of the Nepali Communist Party. Another contender, Padma Pundit of the Rastriya Janamorcha, obtained a vote weightage of 152.
Similarly, KC secured a vote weightage of 5,977 against 1,832 obtained by his nearest competitor, Brihaspati Adhikari of the Nepali Communist Party. Bam Bahadur Khatri of the Rastriya Janamorcha received 133 vote weightage in the same election.
Ghimire, while winning the election in the disabled/minorities category, secured a vote weightage of 6,322, while his nearest rival, Sarjan BK of the Nepali Communist Party, obtained 1,601.
A total of 78 votes: 30 from female and 48 male were cast from the province level, while 208 votes were cast from the local levels. From the province level, five voters were absent, and from the local levels, nine voters were absent.
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20- Election Commission bracing to curb misuse of social networks
Prakash Silwal/RSS
Kathmandu, Jan 25: The violation of election code of conduct in the wake of growing digital presence of voters and candidates alike has been a pressing concern for the Election Commission. The social media networks facilitating wider spread of the contents have amplified the challenges.
With the House of Representatives election approaching near, the enforcement of code of conduct has drawn a serious concern.
Viral trend is characteristic of the social networks. Recently, a brief video clips on use of a vehicle with an Indian number plate made round on social networks, drawing huge criticism. Irrespective of the lack of detail information on it, people were pouring in their responses for and against the content.
Similarly, sloganeering against and defaming candidates is also rife on social networks.
The election code of conduct prohibits rally and gathering of more than 25 persons while filing candidacies, but to sheer mockery of the provision, most of the political parties and their candidates were found flouting the code. The campaigns bearing the party flags and banners were made viral even with use of children.
The Election Commission sought clarification from the concerned leaders why a sitting Chief Minister attended a rally of a candidate while filing latter’s candidacy at an election office.
Some of the political parties and candidates used national flag, which drew equal concern. The Commission is conducting scrutiny in a bid to curb the spread of falsity and violation of code of conduct via social networks.
Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari informed that effective monitoring would be carried out to deter and curb fake information, misinformation and hate speech. The Commission would make more effective campaign than the last general election of 2079BS that even the representatives of the social media were taken together to this bid.
The efforts are on to minimize the character assassination of rival candidates with the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and obfuscation imposed on public with a spread of false information, according to him. Bhandari, however, said all sides’ cooperation is imperative to this regard.
In this connection, eight persons spreading harmful contents relating to election were written to the Press Council Nepal, the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, and the Central Election Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee for action.
Importantly, Election Commission has prioritized the collaboration with social platform companies to regulate the fake and misleading information and mala fide speech.
Even an ‘e-monitoring plus’ software is in place at the Commission with the assistance of UNDP to boost the monitoring of code of conduct.
The electoral body has appealed to all people to stay aware of such misinformation and hate speech which are against code of conduct. Meanwhile, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal visited the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police on Sunday itself and reminded that the Bureau did not need approval from senior officials or any other bodies to take action against those spreading misleading information on social sites. He urged the Bureau to closely monitor the spread of indecent, baseless, and legally prohibited content, as well as misinformation and disinformation on social media in view of the upcoming election to the House of Representatives.
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21- NA election: UML candidates emerge victorious from Koshi Province
Morang, Jan 25: CPN (UML) candidates Roshani Meche and Somnath Portel have emerged victorious in the National Assembly elections from the Koshi Province on Sunday.
Meche, a candidate forwarded jointly by the Nepali Congress (NC) and UML, obtained a vote weightage of 7,173 against 2,268 secured by her nearest competitor Namita Neupane of Nepali Communist Party. She won the election from the women’s category.
Portel, the candidate toward the Dalit category, defeated his nearest competitor Khem Sundas of the Nepali Communist Party. Portel secured a vote weightage of 7,423 against 2,027 by Sundas.
Towards the Khas Arya category, Sunil Bahadur Thapa of the Nepali Congress has been already elected unopposed.
The Koshi Province has voters from 137 local levels: 113 from the NC, 108 from the UML, 36 from the NCP, four each from the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal and Rastriya Prajatantra Party and two independents.
From the province level, 29 voters belong to the NC, 40 from UML, 17 from NCP, five from RPP and one from JSP.
Names of three PA members from NCP, two from UML and one from Shram Sanskriti Party who have filed candidacy for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election was removed from the voter list.
Likewise, the suspended chair of Jhapa rural municipality over the corruption charge was barred from the voting.
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22- NA election: NC’s Devkota, UML’s Dangal victorious from Bagmati Province
Makawanpur, Jan 25: In the National Assembly elections held on Sunday, candidates of the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) emerged victorious from Bagmati Province.
NC candidate Gita Devkota won the election in the women’s category, securing a vote weightage of 6,239 against 2,522 obtained by her nearest rival, Saroj Kumari Jha of the Nepali Communist Party. Another contender, Kabita Maharjan of the Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) received a vote weightage of 197.
Similarly, Prem Prasad Dangal of the UML, whose candidacy was also supported by the Nepali Congress, won the election by securing a vote weightage of 6,205 against 2,541 obtained by his nearest competitor, Prem Prasad Sapkota of the Nepali Communist Party.
Another candidate, Bikram Dhukuchhu of the NWPP, obtained a vote weightage of 197, according to Chief Election Officer Gita Shrestha.
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23- NA election: NC’s Shahi, UML’s Rakhal victorious from Karnali Province
Karnali, Jan 25: Candidates of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN (UML) emerged victorious in the National Assembly elections held on Sunday in Karnali Province.
NC’s Lalitjung Shahi from Jumla won the election after securing votes from 26 province-level voters and 100 local-level voters. Similarly, Meena Rakhal from Dailekh won under the women’s category, receiving ballots from 26 members of the Province Assembly and 93 voters from the local level, according to Election Office Surkhet information officer Nandaram Chaulagain.
Shahi’s nearest rival was Buddhi Prasad Sharma of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), who secured votes from 13 province-level voters and 50 local-level voters. Likewise, Rakhal defeated Anju Mahatara of the NCP, who obtained 13 votes from the province- level and 55 from the local level.
Six ballots were declared invalid. Out of 40 voters from the Province Assembly, 39 participated in the voting. Similarly, among 158 voters from 79 local levels, 152 cast their votes.
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24- Two die, three receive injury in Sankhuwasabha jeep accident
Kimathanka (Sankhuwasabha), Jan 25: Two people died and three others were injured in a jeep accident occurred on Sunday at Nundhaki of Chainpur municipality-1 in Sankhuwasabha.
According to the District Police Office, Sankhuwasabha, the identities of the deceased have not been confirmed yet.
The jeep (Pra 1-001 Cha 8247) was en route to Bihibare from Chainpur when the accident occurred, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Kumar Prasad Mainali.
Security personnel reached the accident site immediately after receiving information about the incident. All the injured were taken to the Primary Health Centre in Chainpur for treatment.
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25- NA election: NC, UML candidates secure victory from Sudurpaschim Province
Sudurpaschim, Jan 25: A Nepali Congress candidate Khamma Bahadur Khati and a CPN UML candidate Lila Kumari Bhandari were elected the members of the National Assembly (NA) from Sudurpaschim Province today. The NA election was held at Dhangadhi, provincial capital of the Sudurpaschim Province.
Khati elected from others category got the weightage of 3,969 votes, while Bhandari elected from women’s category secured the weightage of 3,984 votes. Khati’s nearest contender from Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Tikaram Jaishi, collected the vote weightage of 1,805, and the Khati’s nearest rival from NCP, Rosi Basnet, collected 1676 vote weightage, according to chief of province election office, Prem Raj Bhatt.
Of the total 224 voters, 220 voters- 49 Province Assembly members and 171 local representatives (chiefs/deputy chiefs) cast ballots.
Mayor of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolis, Gopal Hamal, Province Assembly members Prakash Bahadur Deuba and Khima Devi Bista and Vice Chair of Joshipur rural municipality of Kailali, Rekha Kathariya, were absent in voting.
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26- NC, UML candidates elected from Gandaki Province as NA members
Kaski, Jan 25: The Gandaki Province has elected Jagat Timilsina of the Nepali Congress and Samjhana Devkota of the CPN (UML) as the members in the National Assembly (NA).
In the NA election held on Sunday, Timilsina was elected from others’ category while Devkota represents women’s category. Timilsina secured a vote weightage of 5,033 while his nearest competitor Kapil Lama of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) secured a vote weightage of 941. Similarly, another candidate Shankar Prasad Baral obtained a vote weightage of 76, according to the Office of the Election Officer.
Similarly, towards women’s category, Devkota emerged victorious with a vote weightage of 5,014 while her nearest competitor Goma Luintel Baskota of Nepali Communist Party obtained 76.
The NC and the UML had forged an electoral alliance for the NA elections. Among 59 PA members, 57 took part in the voting while from the local-level, 166 out of 169, were present in the voting, information officer Rudra Neupane at Province Election Office, Gandaki.
Two voters, the PA members of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and three voters from local level were absent in the voting. Election Officer Himlal Belbase and Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Surendra Raj Pandey, handed over the certificates to the winning candidates. The voting was held in the premises of the Province Election Officer at Ratnachowk of Pokhara metropolis-7 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
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27- SC declines to give interim order on Chaudhary’s petition
Kathmandu, Jan 25: The Supreme Court (SC) has refused to give an interim order in a writ petition filed by the patron of Nagarik Unmukti Party Nepal, Reshamlal Chaudhary, demanding to contest the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) polls.
A single bench of Justice Balkrishna Dhakal issued an order for show cause, while declining to give the interim order. The next hearing date of the case is scheduled for January 29.
Chaudhary had lodged a petition at the SC on Friday by challenging the Election Commission’s decision to scrap his candidacy. The Election Commission had scrapped the nomination paper filed by Chaudhary as the candidate of the HoR polls from constituency no. 1 of Kailali after conducting an investigation into the complaint lodged against him.
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28- NCP cadres urged to work to improve party’s strength
Kathmandu, Jan 25: Coordinator of Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has urged the party leaders and cadres to work hard to strengthen the party’s power.
At a meeting of the NCP’s National Assembly Parliamentary Party in Singhadurbar today, Coordinator Dahal stated that the entire party’s rank and file should work to create environment in favour of the party.
He said that the NCP would secure good results since the party picked efficient and clean image candidates in the first-past-the-post and proportional electoral system.
Similarly, the NCP Coordinator said that his party’s national and international image was positive due to the party’s initiatives during and after the Gen-Z Movement.The meeting also picked Beduram Bhusal as the parliamentary party leader of the NCP in the National Assembly, while Madan Kumari Shah ‘Garima’ and Ganga Belbase were chosen as chief whip and whip, respectively.
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29- Home Ministry asks to uphold pride, dignity of national flag
Kathmandu, Jan 25: The Home Ministry has asked one and all to uphold the top pride and dignity of the national flag, and ensure the use of the national flag only as per existing laws.
Issuing a press statement on Sunday, the Ministry stated that misuse of the national flag was punishable. The Ministry has stated that the candidates as per the Election Code of Conduct, 2082 could use a maximum of 10 national flags in rallies, mass meetings, corner assemblies and any other sort of rallies in the election campaigns.
Similarly, the national flag should not be used for its defamation, and its use in the context and place where it should not be done from the point of view of public morality and courtesy.
The Procedures for the use of the National Flag and National Anthem, 2069 is in force to ensure systematic, decent and respectful use.The Chief District Officer has the authority to monitor whether or not the use of the national flag is in line with the Procedures.
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30- SC demands additional evidences in a case against Lamichhane
Kathmandu, Jan 25: The Supreme Court has ordered the collection of additional evidences in the case against Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), on the organised crime and money laundering.
A division bench of Justices Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma and Shrikant Paudel issued the order on Sunday.
According to the order, the Attorney General had argued that the charge sheet was amended after additional evidence was discovered following the filing of the original charges.
The SC directed that these additional documents be obtained from the Office of the Attorney General and, once received, the matter be presented for discussion on an interim order as per legal procedure.
Earlier, on January 20, a single bench of Justice Abdur Aziz Musalman had ordered the Office of the Attorney General to provide the original copy of its decision to amend the organised crime and money laundering charges against Lamichhane.
Lamichhane had been facing charges of cooperative fraud in addition to allegations of the organised crime and money laundering. On January 14, the Office of the Attorney General amended the charges and subsequently withdrew the organised crime and money laundering cases against Lamichhane and other defendants involved in the cooperative fraud case.
Later, the decision of the Office of the Attorney General faced criticism from the Nepal Bar Association, various human rights organisations, and civil society groups.
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31- Six travel operators nabbed on fake rescue scam
Kathmandu, Jan 25: The Nepal Police arrested six people for their alleged involvement in fake transactions and scamming tourists under the cover of so-called rescue of the foreign tourists for their treatment from the mountainous region.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police released the travel operators on Sunday for their alleged involvement in the wrongdoings of fake rescue.
Those arrestees include Jayaram Rimal, Bibek Pandey, Rabindra Adhikari, Bibekraj Thapaliya, Mukti Pandey and Subhash KC.
Rimal and Pandey are affiliated with Mountain Rescue Service, Adhikari and Thapaliya with Nepal Charter Services, and Pandey and KC with Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd.
Chief of CIB Additional Inspector General of Nepal Police (AIG) Dr Manoj KC shared that investigations on treason, organized crime and money laundering are ongoing against them.
AIG KC stated that Mountain Rescue Services Pvt Ltd has been charged with making fake documents of rescue operations of 171 individuals out of 1,248 people and made claims for more than 100 US Dollars for insurance.
Similarly, Nepal Charter Services Pvt Ltd made documents of fake rescue operations of 75 individuals while rescuing 471 individuals and claimed 8.2 million US Dollars for insurance.
According to AIG KC, Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd rescued 601 and made fake documents for 71 tourists to claim 1.15 million US Dollars for insurance.
“We have received more complaints about fake rescue operations. Several aspects of fake rescue have been revealed during the investigations. Further investigations are ongoing,” he added. —
