Kathmandu, President Ramchandra Paudel has issued an ordinance to amend the Voter List Act, 2016 (2073 B.S.) in preparation for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21 (March 5, 2026).

The ordinance was issued based on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, in accordance with Article 114(1) of the Constitution.

The amendment targets Section 4, Sub-section 2(2) of the Voter List Act, which previously stated:

“After the date of an election has been announced, no new voter registration shall be allowed for the purpose of that election.”

Due to this provision, new voter registrations were halted once the election date was announced, leading to concerns from the Election Commission and stakeholders.

According to sources at the Election Commission, the ordinance was necessary to remove this legal obstacle and reopen voter registration for those who were previously left out.