With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) pushing to ensure voting rights for Nepalis living abroad in the March 5 House of Representatives (HoR) election, the Election Commission (EC) is preparing to pilot overseas voting in selected countries.
Officials say the EC plans to pilot overseas voting in 10 to 15 countries and is exploring four possible models to facilitate the process.
The first option is in-person voting, where polling booths would be set up inside Nepali embassies or consulates abroad. Ballot boxes, voter lists, ballot papers and other election materials would be transported from Nepal and trained staff would be deployed to manage the voting. Voters would need to appear in person, verify their identities and cast their ballots, much like voting at home. Although this method demands significant logistics and coordination with host governments, the EC considers it the most practical for the initial phase.
The second option under review is online voting, which would allow Nepalis living abroad to cast their ballots electronically through a secure online portal or mobile app. Voters would authenticate their identities using official documents such as passports, citizenship certificates or voter IDs. This approach could expand access and convenience, but it raises concerns about cybersecurity, voter authentication and system integrity. The EC is currently assessing the technical and legal requirements before moving forward with this model.
Another possibility under consideration is postal voting, where ballot papers would be mailed to eligible voters abroad and returned through international postal services. This method would require an accurate voter roll, verified mailing addresses and reliable postal channels. However, delays, high costs and risks such as ballot tampering or loss — combined with Nepal’s own postal system limitations — make this option viable only for a limited number of verified voters.
The fourth method being considered is proxy voting, allowing Nepalis abroad to appoint a trusted representative in Nepal to vote on their behalf. While this system is easier to administer, it presents serious concerns about voter privacy, transparency and possible misuse. Strict legal and procedural checks would be necessary to prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of the vote.
EC’s ‘pilot’ likely to prioritize in-person voting
“We will identify locations with between 5,000 and 10,000 eligible Nepali voters,” said EC Information Officer Suman Ghimire. “One polling centre can handle around 1,000 voters a day. Highly populated areas could be challenging, as setting up multiple centres in one city would be difficult.”
He added that voting outside embassy premises would require heavy security coordination with host nations. “For now, holding elections at Nepali embassies seems more practical,” Ghimire said.
The EC is assessing financial and logistical demands, including training staff and transporting election materials within the four-month window before the polls.
Despite these challenges, officials from the MoHA and the EC have confirmed that at least a few in-person pilot voting centres will be set up for Nepalis living abroad in the upcoming election.
