Kathmandu, March 4 (NationPress) With the parliamentary elections approaching on Thursday, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has called on citizens throughout the nation to vote without any apprehension.

This election will determine the future of 275 representatives in the House of Representatives, which serves as the lower chamber of Nepal's federal parliament. Among these seats, 165 will be filled using the first-past-the-post (FPTP) method, while 110 will be chosen through the proportional representation system.

The elections come in the wake of the Gen Z uprising that occurred on September 8-9 of the previous year, which tragically resulted in the deaths of 77 individuals and caused damages to both private and public properties estimated at over NPR 84 billion.

Initially, there was considerable uncertainty regarding the path the nation would take post-uprising. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the interim government has successfully directed the country towards a democratic electoral process, with elections set for Thursday.

Bhandari emphasized that all necessary arrangements for the election's conduct and management have been finalized, urging voters to confidently exercise their voting rights.

Polling will be conducted nationwide from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, as per the Election Commission's schedule.

“Elections are the cornerstone of a representative governance system, providing legitimacy and assurance to the populace to be governed by their chosen representatives. I earnestly encourage all voters to visit their designated polling stations and cast their votes with confidence on Thursday,” he stated.

He further added that the Commission is thoroughly prepared to ensure that the elections are conducted in a transparent, free, fair, and secure environment.

In a separate announcement, the election authority confirmed that all essential voting materials, including ballot papers and boxes, have been dispatched to polling centers nationwide.

Preparatory steps such as establishing polling stations, implementing accessibility measures, ensuring gender- and disability-friendly facilities, and deploying election staff have all been successfully completed.

According to the Commission, more than 18.9 million registered voters are authorized to participate in this electoral process, comprising 9.66 million males and 9.24 million females.

A total of 3,406 candidates are contesting for the FPTP seats, while 3,135 candidates are competing under the proportional representation system, as reported by the Commission.