With 72 days remaining until the House of Representatives (HoR) election, the Election Commission (EC) has clarified the circumstances under which candidates may be disqualified from political parties’ proportional representation lists.
According to prevailing election laws, candidates will also be deemed ineligible if they have not completed the required cooling-off period after serving a sentence. The Election Commission has scheduled the House of Representatives election for March 5, 2026.
Of the total 275 members, 165 will be elected through the first-past-the-post system, while 110 will be selected under the proportional representation system. The Commission recently formed a committee to review the proportional election system and determine representation percentages based on population data.
Under the Proportional Election (First Amendment) Directive for Members of the House of Representatives, 2082, individuals convicted of crimes related to corruption, rape, human trafficking, smuggling, the sale, distribution or import-export of narcotics, money laundering, passport misuse, and kidnapping are disqualified from candidacy.
The law further bars those convicted of offenses involving moral turpitude, as well as individuals sentenced to life imprisonment or to 20 years or more for any crime, even after the verdict becomes final. Candidates sentenced for organized crime, or for dereliction of duty with prison terms of less than 20 years, are also ineligible if six years have not elapsed since completing their sentence.
Similarly, individuals convicted of offenses related to caste discrimination and untouchability, human trafficking, or polygamy are barred from candidacy if three years have not passed since the completion of their sentence. The law also disqualifies those who are blacklisted, currently serving prison sentences, mentally incapacitated, or holders of permanent residence permits in foreign countries.
To be eligible, a candidate must be a Nepali citizen, have their name included in the final voter list of any municipality or rural municipality, be at least 25 years old, not be disqualified under any federal law, and not be holding any position of profit.
