KATHMANDU:- The Election Commission (EC) has issued a 20-point directive to political parties in preparation for the House of Representatives (HoR) election scheduled for March 5, 2026. The Commission has also fixed December 26 as the date for the National Assembly (NA) election.

Assistant Spokesperson Prakash Neupane said the directives were issued under Clause 57 of the Political Party Act, 2073, with the aim of ensuring good governance and strengthening inclusive proportional representation in the electoral process.

According to the EC, political parties must guarantee that at least one-third of their candidates are women and uphold gender and inclusive representation even under the first-past-the-post system. Parties are also required to align their candidacies with the goal of achieving 40% women’s representation in Parliament by 2030 in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Parties have been instructed to refrain from any activities that may disturb social harmony and must remain respectful of Nepal’s diverse castes, ethnicities, communities, genders, religions, languages, regions, and cultures when carrying out election-related work.

The EC has also directed parties to support efforts to make polling centres gender- and disability-friendly, and to reflect gender and social inclusion commitments in their manifestos and other party documents.

The directive further requires political parties to ensure representation of women and marginalized groups in all party programs, including training sessions, seminars, and discussions. During election campaigns, parties are prohibited from using intimidation, defamation, discriminatory behavior, or character assassination against women, children, persons with disabilities, minority groups, or any candidates.

Political parties must also prevent the spread of misleading, false, or harmful content on social media, particularly language that could negatively affect women and indigenous communities.

Additionally, parties must actively inform voters about the importance of gender and social inclusion, the significance of the election, and the voting process. Party members and office-bearers are required to fully comply with the election code of conduct.

The EC has strictly barred the use of children in political activities. It has also prohibited undemocratic practices such as obstructing or restricting other parties from carrying out their election campaigns.