Prime Minister Sushila Karki stated on Wednesday that the March 5 general election is expected to cost between Rs 31 billion and Rs 32 billion. The Ministry of Finance has already disbursed Rs 19.21 billion, including Rs 10.39 billion to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Rs 6.72 billion to the Election Commission. Election expenses have risen sharply over the decades—from Rs 110 million in 1991 to more than Rs 20 billion in 2017. Security-related spending remains the largest component, with the Home and Defense ministries initially seeking over Rs 20.5 billion to ensure polling security.
