What is happening in the Nepal Elections and when is voting day?
Nepal Elections 2026 will fill all 275 seats of the House of Representatives on 05 March, with polling open nationwide from 0700 to 1700 hours under a mixed electoral system combining 165 directly contested constituencies with 110 seats allocated through nationwide party-list vote shares. The vote follows months of political instability that culminated in the collapse of the previous elected government, and nearly 20 million Nepalis are eligible to vote, including approximately one million first-time voters motivated by frustration over economic stagnation. The official campaign period ran from 16 February to 02 March, when a 48-hour silence period began at midnight, prohibiting rallies, political displays and campaign-related announcements until polling concludes.
What restrictions are in place in Kathmandu Valley?
Kathmandu Valley, covering Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, is classified as a priority security zone given its history of large-scale protests in September 2025, with visible patrols, checkpoints and crowd-management measures maintained in key administrative and urban zones throughout the pre-election period. The District Administration Office in Kathmandu has ordered nighttime businesses to close from 2100 hours on 02 March until polling day on 05 March, with no establishments permitted to operate past that hour and normal business hours capped at 2100 hours each day until further notice. On election day, a nationwide vehicle movement ban takes effect from 0000 hours and continues until voting formally concludes, suspending routine public transportation, taxi services and most commercial vehicle activity except for ambulances, fire services, utility crews and vehicles carrying approved movement passes; urban centres including Kathmandu Valley are expected to see minimal traffic volumes as a result. Rallies, victory processions and political gatherings in Kathmandu Valley, Biratnagar, Janakpur, Nepalgunj and Birgunj may still generate localised traffic congestion and road diversions around administrative zones in the days before and after polling.
What about Madhes, Karnali and Koshi provinces?
In Madhes, or the southern Tarai plains, authorities have imposed heightened vigilance following recent localised disturbances, including a curfew in Gaur municipality in Rautahat District after communal tensions and reports of political cadre clashes in Dang District. Karnali Province carries the highest concentration of sensitive polling infrastructure, with 959 polling stations across ten districts, of which 359 are classified as highly sensitive and 422 as sensitive, particularly in the remote mountainous districts of Surkhet and Dailekh, where difficult terrain and logistical constraints have shaped past localised instability. In Koshi Province, authorities have enhanced review of polling stations in Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa and conducted field inspections near the Nepal-India boundary, with increased patrols and border monitoring under an integrated security plan; joint inspection teams from Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and intelligence agencies have been mobilised in border districts such as Sunsari.
What are the business continuity risks?
Nepal Elections 2026 also bring a 72-hour closure of major Nepal-India border crossing points from 02 to 05 March, including reinforced controls at Birgunj and the Bara-Parsa corridor, which is likely to disrupt passenger and freight movement for businesses dependent on cross-border trade or workforce mobility, with border districts including Banke and Kanchanpur also facing temporary crossing restrictions. The nationwide vehicle movement ban on polling day, combined with possible short-term suspension of mobile data or internet services in sensitive districts, could affect staff mobility and decision-making timelines for organisations near polling centres, counting centres or major political party offices. Cyber risk is also elevated, with authorities and organisations both flagging phishing attempts, misinformation circulation and politically themed fraud as likely during the election cycle, particularly around result announcements.
What should organisations and individuals do to prepare?
Organisations should activate contingency plans for temporary curfews, prohibitory orders and localised vehicle restrictions, avoid scheduling critical meetings or high-value transactions on polling day and result declaration days, and pre-position essential inventory ahead of the border closure and vehicle restriction period. Those operating in Madhes, Karnali or Koshi provinces, or near Nepal-India border districts, should consider reinforcing ground-floor premises and tightening entry and exit monitoring through the pre-poll and post-result period. Individuals should plan alternate routes and allow additional travel time, rely only on official announcements and credible news sources, keep car doors locked and windows closed if driving through areas with political rallies, and carry valid identification and vehicle documents at all times during the election period.
Frequently asked questions
When is voting day for the Nepal Elections 2026 and how many seats are being contested?
Voting takes place nationwide on 05 March 2026 from 0700 to 1700 hours for all 275 seats of the House of Representatives.
Is the Nepal-India border closed during the election?
Yes. Major Nepal-India border crossing points will be closed for approximately 72 hours, from midnight on 02 March until midnight on 05 March.
What are the emergency contact numbers during the Nepal Elections 2026?
Nepal Police: 100. Traffic Police Nepal: 103. Armed Police Force: 1114 or +977-01-5249524.
Download the full advisory now
datasurfr’s Special Advisory on Nepal Elections 2026 carries the complete province-by-province security breakdown, candidate and polling station data, and a detailed contacts directory. Download the full advisory now to brief your travel and continuity teams.
Filed under: APACIndia-South AsiaThreat Intelligence Advisories
