Kathmandu, November 13
More than 30,000 new voters were added in a single day as the Election Commission of Nepal began registering voters based on National Identity Card data. Onlinekhabar
Onlinekhabar
According to the Election Commission, as of 8 pm Wednesday, the total number of new voters had reached 239,940, with 30,373 added that day alone. The deadline for voter registration is set for November 16 (Kartik 30). Officials said the number of new registrants has been steadily increasing as the deadline approaches. Onlinekhabar
From Thursday, the commission has started incorporating citizens into the voter list using details from the National Identity Card database. The new provision allows individuals with a National ID number especially those unable to visit election offices in person to register more conveniently. Onlinekhabar
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari said technical preparations and system testing were completed overnight on Wednesday to ensure a smooth launch of the new system. Officials expect the integration of National ID data to accelerate the registration process in the remaining days before the deadline. Onlinekhabar
Director General of the Department of National Id and Civil Registration, Namaraj Ghimire, attended the meeting and expressed readiness to provide the biometric data collected during the distribution of National Identity Cards to the Election Commission for voter registration purposes. Onlinekhabar
Onlinekhabar
The Election Commission’s register-to-vote and pre-enrolment information and FAQs are available on its official site. Election Commission, Nepal
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What impact could this change have on access to voting in your area?
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How should the Election Commission address privacy and data-security concerns?
What lessons should officials take from the rapid uptake since the launch?
How can the process be improved for citizens who still face access barriers?