Kathmandu, March 5 (NationPress) Nepal is preparing for parliamentary elections on Thursday, marking the first nationwide voting event since the Gen Z protests in September of last year that significantly impacted the nation.

Citizens will select 275 representatives for the House of Representatives, the lower house of the federal parliament. Among these seats, 165 lawmakers will be elected using the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, while the remaining 110 will be appointed via the proportional representation method.

The upcoming elections occur in the aftermath of the Gen Z protests that took place on September 8-9, where tragically 77 individuals lost their lives.

Government assessments reveal that the unrest caused over NPR 84 billion in damages to both public and private properties.

Initially, the protests generated considerable uncertainty regarding the country’s political future. Nevertheless, the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki took steps to restore stability by announcing new elections. With polling scheduled for Thursday, Nepal is on track to reaffirm its commitment to democratic principles through the electoral process.

Ram Prasad Bhandari, the Acting Chief Election Commissioner, has urged citizens to engage in this democratic process without fear. In a message directed at voters, he confirmed that all necessary preparations for the elections have been finalized and encouraged everyone to exercise their constitutional rights.

Voting will occur nationwide from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, as per the directives of the Election Commission.

“Elections are fundamental to a representative governance system, providing legitimacy and assurance to the people's right to choose their representatives. I earnestly encourage all voters to visit their polling stations and confidently cast their votes on Thursday,” Bhandari stated.

He also affirmed that the Commission is fully equipped to ensure the elections are conducted in a clean, free, fair, and fear-free environment.

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

Moreover, arrangements regarding the setup and management of polling booths, accessibility measures, gender- and disability-friendly facilities, and the deployment of election personnel have been successfully completed.

According to the Commission, over 18.9 million registered voters are eligible to participate in the elections. This figure includes 9.66 million male voters and 9.24 million female voters.

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