Nepal president issues ordinance amending general election law

Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Friday issued an ordinance amending provisions related to the general elections. On September 12, President Paudel announced March 5, 2026, as the date for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections. The House of Representatives Election (First Amendment) Ordinance seeks to allocate seats under the proportional representation system based on the latest population census conducted in 2021 for the upcoming general elections, the President’s Office said.

According to the census, Nepal’s population stands at 29,164,578.  The ordinance was issued on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, the President’s Office said. The Cabinet had forwarded the ordinance to the president following its meeting on Thursday. The amendment has been introduced to adjust the number of seats under the proportional representation system in line with the latest population figures of various community clusters, including Dalit, indigenous communities, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu, and

Muslim groups.