Polling ends across Nepal; nearly 40% turnout recorded by 3 pm

Voting has officially closed in Nepal, in a crucial national election expected to determine the country’s first prime minister since last year’s Gen Z protests, with vote counting set to begin shortly, officials said.Polling stations closed at 5 p.m. after voting began at 7 a.m., although voters already standing in queues were allowed to cast their ballots, according to the Election Commission of Nepal. The election marks the first national vote since the youth-led protests in September last year, which turned violent and left 77 people dead, triggering a major political crisis.Election authorities said nearly 40% voter turnout had been recorded by 3 p.m., with participation expected to rise significantly by the end of polling. Officials indicated that the final turnout is likely to exceed 65%, though the commission is yet to release official nationwide figures.
According to the commission, around 7.41 million voters  roughly 40% of the over 18.9 million eligible voters  had cast their ballots by mid-afternoon. Voting took place across the country’s 77 districts, where authorities established 23,112 polling centres at 10,963 polling stations to facilitate the process.Turnout varied across regions. In the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the districts of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, voter participation stood at 51% by 3 p.m. The surrounding Bagmati Province, comprising ten districts including the capital region, recorded 53% turnout.
Elsewhere, participation reached 58% in Koshi Province in eastern Nepal and 54% in Madhesh Province. Turnout stood at 41% in Gandaki Province, 38% in Lumbini, 42% in Karnali, and 43% in Sudurpashchim, reflecting steady voter engagement across the Himalayan nation.The election also reflects the growing influence of younger voters. Authorities said the number of registered voters has increased by 915,119 since the 2022 elections, taking the total to more than 18.9 million eligible voters. Nearly one million new voters were added to the electoral rolls after last year’s youth-led movement, highlighting the political impact of the protests.Significantly, around 52% of voters are aged between 18 and 40, a demographic widely expected to play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the election.