Arya News - Opposition over the election seems to stem from former King Gyanendra and his allies.
KATHMANDU – As the March 5 elections approach, doubts are emerging in the social media and elsewhere about whether the snap poll will take place as scheduled.
Controversial monarchist Durga Prasain and his supporters have been expressing opposition to holding the election on March 5.
In particular, former King Gyanendra, in a video message released on February 18 on the eve of Democracy Day on February 19, stated that holding the election under the current circumstances would not provide a solution for the country. His remarks have added to the growing uncertainty over whether the vote will take place as scheduled.
As doubts about the snap poll grow on social media, both the government and political parties have affirmed that the election will be held on the stipulated date.
Acting on the Election Commission’s recommendation, the Sushila Karki administration has on Tuesday announced a public holiday from March 4 to 6 to allow voters to travel to their designated polling stations, but rumours continue to circulate that the election may be postponed.
CPN-UML has voiced strong objections to what it describes as attempts to spread rumours about postponing the upcoming election.
Speaking at the party’s regular press briefing held on Tuesday at its headquarters in Chyasal, the party’s press and publicity department chief, Min Bahadur Shahi, urged the government to clarify the situation. He said speculation about deferring the polls was being deliberately circulated and warned that such talk could create unnecessary confusion among voters.
Shahi stressed that the party remains firm in its position that the election must be held on March 5 as scheduled.
“We have clearly stated that the election should take place on a scheduled date. We have no reason to believe it will be postponed,” Shahi said.
He also reminded the government of its responsibility to guarantee a safe and fearless environment for voters. Ensuring that citizens can cast their ballots freely, independently, and without intimidation, he noted, is a fundamental democratic duty of the state.
“We want the government to ensure that the election must not be postponed under any pretext,” Shahi added. “We want to ask, with what intention are such rumours being spread?”
However, Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s press adviser, Ram Bahadur Rawal, dismissed the speculation, saying rumours cannot be treated or entertained. He maintained that the government has completed all necessary preparations and that voting will take place in every constituency on the scheduled date.
“We do not know where or why these rumours are being spread,” he said. “The election will be held as planned.”
Amid growing speculation in political circles that the election could be postponed, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane has said that if the vote is to be deferred, it should be brought forward by four days instead. He made the remark on Tuesday while addressing the RSP election rally in Itahari.
“To those who keep saying the election should be postponed, I just want to say this,” Lamichhane told the crowd. “If you must change the date, then let’s move it four days earlier—we’re fine with that.”
Although he claimed that some political parties had called for a delay, he did not specify which parties.
Meanwhile, a leader from the Nepali Congress recalled that, with the exception of the 2022 parliamentary elections, and going back to 1999—rumours of postponement have surfaced ahead of almost every general election.
“In our country, there is always uncertainty about whether the election will take place as scheduled right up until the ballot boxes are actually lifted on the day,” the leader said on condition of anonymity. “What we are seeing now is nothing new.”
UML chair KP Sharma Oli has accused RSP leaders of attempting to disrupt the election, describing them as having a “destructive character.”
Speaking to the media on Monday, Oli alleged that “their tendency to spread hoods, engage in deceit, pursue anti-poor policies, and adopt what he called a ruinous approach towards the country’s assets has created uncertainty around the electoral process.
“Given such a destructive mindset—marked by dishonesty, fraud, actions against the poor, and damage to national property—it is difficult to state with absolute certainty that the election will proceed smoothly,” he said.
Tensions also flared recently in Dang after RSP supporters allegedly burned a UML flag, heightening friction between the two sides.
Critics have taken issue with some provocative remarks made by RSP chair Lamichhane during his campaign appearances in various parts of the country, arguing that such statements risk further inflaming the sensitive political climate.
As polling day draws nearer, many are asking why a sense of uncertainty remains ahead of the polling day. Even a senior Nepal Police official admits to being puzzled.
The officer said that during a meeting with Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal on Monday, the minister himself had raised questions about the doubts circulating about the election.
Despite ongoing speculation, the official stressed that security agencies have completed all necessary preparations and remain fully committed to ensuring the election is held on the scheduled date.
“From a security standpoint, we are fully prepared to conduct the election on the scheduled date,” the official said. “Despite the various doubts circulating in society, we are confident that the election will go ahead as planned.”