Kathmandu, March 5 (NationPress) The recent parliamentary elections in Nepal, which wrapped up amid a largely tranquil atmosphere on Thursday, have seen a notably diminished voter turnout.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari announced at a press conference that voter participation is projected to be around 60 percent, as indicated by preliminary reports from across the nation.

If this figure does not rise with the final count, it will mark the lowest voter turnout since the parliamentary elections of 1991. In the previous elections held in 2022, the turnout was recorded at 61.41 percent.

“We are still in the process of gathering detailed data. Reports suggest that in certain polling centers, voting is ongoing as individuals who entered before closing time are still casting their votes,” he elaborated.

Bhandari also noted that apart from a handful of isolated incidents of disruption, the elections were executed smoothly, according to initial observations from both national and international election monitors.

“Vote counting will commence promptly after the safe collection of ballot boxes,” he stated.

The Election Commission has indicated that ballot boxes from remote regions across 15 districts will be airlifted by helicopter.

Approximately 18.9 million citizens are registered to vote in these elections, with some polling stations experiencing boycotts as a result of public discontent regarding the government's inability to provide development.

“The dissatisfaction is directed at the government, not the Election Commission, and it is imperative that the government addresses this issue,” Bhandari remarked.

These elections were held nearly two years ahead of schedule in response to the new political climate following the Gen-Z movement in September of last year, which resulted in the ousting of the government led by former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. This situation facilitated the establishment of the current interim government under Sushila Karki.

After her appointment, the lower house was disbanded at the request of Gen-Z leaders, and she was tasked with conducting new elections within a six-month timeframe.

More than 18.9 million individuals are eligible to vote, which includes 915,119 newly registered voters. Notably, over two-thirds of these new voters are from the Gen-Z demographic, reflecting a significant increase in youth participation ahead of the 2026 elections, as per the Election Commission of Nepal.

The elections took place at 23,112 polling centers, with 3,406 candidates competing under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system, while 3,135 candidates are in the running under the proportional representation system.