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Poll preparations are going on in Nepal as the country braces for general elections to be held tomorrow after the existing government was overthrown by GenZ protests.
A polling centre at Ratnrajya Madhyamik Vidyalay, Baneshvar, Kathmandu, can be seen resplendent with preparations going on for the big day. "All the preparations for the election on Thursday (5th March) are complete," says Officiating Chief Election Commissioner, Ram Prasad Bhandari, on 2026 Nepal elections. On the general elections in Nepal, EC Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai told ANI, "We have done all the preparations. Total, 23,112 voting centres, election personnel and security staff, as well as the election materials, are already available in every polling station.... Voting will start tomorrow at 7 AM, and it will continue till 5 PM... All the voters are excited to participate in this election... Over 3,000 candidates are in the field." Election officer Sushil Acharya told ANI that the team has briefed all the people and the security has been beefed up. Acharya said, "A few days back we came here and published a notice following the procedure calling to maintain peace, ban on consumption of alcohol. Yesterday we had a meeting with all the political parties and the candidates, briefing them on the directives about the measures that will be adopted to hold free and fair elections. Today we are setting up the polling booths, setting up different lines for the male and female, the entrance and the exit points. Tomorrow, from 7 AM to 5 PM, the polling will continue. After that, we will seal all the ballot boxes and all other materials used in the polling. We will take those things to the office of the election officer after 5 PM. Inside the polling booth, there will be Nepal Police and the Election Police, while in the outer perimeter, there will be the Armed Police Force and the Nepali Army." Election Officer Churaman Khadka said that the polling will take place from 7am to 5pm (local time) He said, "All the preparations for the elections have been made. Polling for the general elections will start tomorrow from 7 am to 5 pm. Kathmandu has 10 different constituencies and proper security arrangements have been made. We are ready for free and fair elections...107 parties are participating in the elections." The GenZ protests had posed a challenge to the ageing government last September, blending hope with politics. (ANI)
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