A Look Back: Nepal's Eight General Elections Leading Up to the Ninth

Kathmandu. Nepal has so far held eight general elections for the House of Representatives. The elections span from the first one held in the year 2015 BS to the House of Representatives election concluded in 2079 BS.

A total of eight elections were held in the years 2015, 2046, 2051, 2056, 2064, 2070, 2074, and 2079 BS. As the hustle and bustle for the ninth House of Representatives election, scheduled for Falgun 21, increases, we attempt to provide numerical information about the status of previous elections. 

• Election of 2015 BS

The first election in Nepal took place in the year 2015 BS. This election was conducted over 45 days from Falgun 7 to Chaitra 21, 2015 BS, with 9 parties participating. 

Nine parties contested the election: Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party, Nepal Rashtriya Gorkha Parishad, Sanyukta Prajatantra Party, Nepal Praja Parishad (Kodalo), Nepal Praja Parishad (Halo), Terai Congress, Nepali Rashtriya Congress, and Nepal Prajatantrik Mahasabha. The election was held for 109 seats. The Nepali Congress, which fielded candidates in 108 seats, won 74 seats, securing a two-thirds majority. According to the Election Commission's data, the Nepal Communist Party won 4 seats, Nepal Rashtriya Gorkha Parishad won 19, Sanyukta Prajatantra Party won 5, Nepal Praja Parishad (Kodalo) won 2, Nepal Praja Parishad (Halo) won 1, and independent candidates won four seats. 

Three participating parties (Nepal Prajatantrik Mahasabha, Terai Congress, and Nepali Rashtriya Congress) failed to win a single seat. Mahasabha contested 68 seats, Terai Congress 21, and Nepali Rashtriya Congress 20. 

• General Election 2048 BS

Following the success of the Jana Andolan (People's Movement) in 2046 BS, the second House of Representatives election was held in 2048 BS. The election, held on Baisakh 29, 2048 BS, was for 205 seats. Out of 18 participating parties, only 8 won seats. 

The Congress secured a majority in the election. Congress, which contested 204 constituencies, won 110 seats. UML came second, winning 69 seats out of 177 constituencies it contested. According to the Election Commission's data, the winning parties were: Sanyukta Janamorcha with 9 seats, Nepal Sadbhavana Party with 6, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party (Chanda) with 3, Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (NMKP) with 2, CPN (Prajatantrik) with 2, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party (Thapa) with 1 seat, and three independent candidates. 

Parties that participated in the election but failed to secure any wins included Nepal Rashtriya Morcha, CPN (Varma), Janata Dal (Sa.Pra.), Nepal Rashtriya Janaparty, CPN (Amatya), Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, Nepal Conservative Party, Bahujan Janata Dal, Janabadi Morcha Nepal, Ekata Party, and Dalit Mazdoor Kisan Party. 

Election Results

Mid-term Election 2051 BS

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resigned from his post on Ashad 26, 2051 BS, recommending the announcement of a mid-term election as there seemed no possibility of forming a stable government without it. Following Koirala's recommendation, King Birendra Shah declared the mid-term election for Ashad 27, 2051 BS, to be held on Kartik 29, 2051 BS. 

For that election, 65 political parties registered with the Election Commission, of which 24 participated. Only the candidates of 5 political parties managed to win. According to the Election Commission's data, candidates from CPN UML, Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party (RPP), Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (NMKP), and Nepal Sadbhavana Party were elected. No party secured a majority in this election. CPN UML emerged as the largest party. 

In the election held for 205 seats, UML fielded candidates in 196 locations, of which 88 candidates won. Congress won 83, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party 20, Nepal Sadbhavana Party 3, Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party 4, and independent candidates secured 7 seats. 

Candidates from parties including Sanyukta Janamorcha, Rastriya Janamukti Party, CPN Sanyukta, CPN Marxist, Rastriya Janata Parishad, Nepal Janabadi Morcha, Janabadi Morcha Nepal, Prajatantrik Lokdal, Nepali Congress Biseshwor, Nepal Praja Parishad, Rastriya Janata Party, United People's Party, Nepali Congress Suvarna, Nepal Janahita Party, Nepali Congress BP, Janata Dal (Sa.Pra.), Liberal Democratic Party, and Sanyukta Prajatantrik Party, and Radical Nepali Congress could not win any seats. 

General Election 2056 BS

The fourth election for the House of Representatives was held in two phases on Baisakh 20 and Jestha 3, 2056 BS. Out of 39 political parties that participated in this election, only 7 managed to win. The Nepali Congress, which had dropped to the second position in the 2051 BS mid-term election, regained a majority in this election. 

In the election held for 205 seats, Congress fielded candidates in all locations. According to the Election Commission's data, 111 Congress candidates won. Besides them, UML won 71 seats, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party 11, Nepal Sadbhavana Party 5, Rastriya Janamorcha 5, Sanyukta Janamorcha Nepal 8, and Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party won one seat. 

Parties that participated in the election but failed to win a single seat included CPN Male, RPP (Chanda), Rastriya Janamukti Party, Nepali Janata Dal, Janamukti Party Nepal, CPN (Marxist), Nepal Dalit Shramik Morcha, Nepal Hariyali Party, CPN (Sanyukta), Nepali Janata Party Rastriya Samriddhivat, Rastriya Janata Parishad, Jan Congress, Shiva Sena Nepal, Nepal Socialist Party. Furthermore, Bahujan Samaj Party Nepal, Nepal Praja Parishad, Sanyukta Prajatantra Party, Nepal Communist Party (Malema), Rastriya Bachau Abhiyan (Sedanemo), Pragatisheel Upyog Tatwa Nepal, Nepal Janabhavana Party, Rashtriya Janata Party, Social Democratic Party, Samajwadi Garib Party, Nepal Janahita Party, Nepal Suraksha Party, Mechi-Mahakali Jan Samanway Dal, Prajatantrik Nepal Janata Party, Prajatantra Sagarmatha Dal, Liberal Democratic Party, and Nepali Rashtriya Ekata Party also failed to secure any victory. 

First Constituent Assembly Election 2064 BS

After the monarchy was overthrown following the armed conflict by the then CPN Maoist and the subsequent Jana Andolan of 2062/063 BS, this was the first election held. The first Constituent Assembly election was held on Chaitra 28, 2064 BS, to draft the constitution through people's representatives. 

The Interim Constitution of 2063 BS stipulated that the Constituent Assembly would have 601 members. The electoral system included provisions for Proportional Representation (PR) and First-Past-the-Post (FPTP). There were 240 seats under FPTP, 335 under PR, and 26 nominated members. 

75 parties were registered for the first Constituent Assembly election. Among them, 56 parties submitted closed lists for the PR system. Of these, 25 parties secured seats under PR, while 31 parties failed to win any seats. 

Only 9 parties won seats under the FPTP system. In the first Constituent Assembly election, the then CPN Maoist became the first party with 220 seats: 120 under FPTP and 100 under PR. Maoists also received 9 seats through nomination, bringing their total to 229. The Congress, the second party, secured 110 seats: 37 under FPTP and 73 under PR. 

In the PR category, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party Nepal won 8 seats, CPN Male 8, Federal Democratic Tharuhat Morcha 1, Nepal Pariwar Dal 3, Rastriya Janamukti Party 2, CPN (Sanyukta) 5, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party Nepal 4, Rastriya Janashakti Party 3, Nepal Sadbhavana Party Anandidevi 2, Nepali Janata Dal 2, Federal Democratic National Forum 2, Samajwadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal 1, Dalit Janajati Party 1, Nepal Pariwar Dal 1, Nepal Parichaya Party 1, Nepal Loktantrik Samajwadi Dal 1, and Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party, Nepal 1 seat. 

Based on the seats secured by parties in the election, 26 members were nominated. CPN Maoist received 9 seats, Nepali Congress and CPN UML received 5 seats each, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal received 2, Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party 1, CPN Male 1, Janamorcha Nepal 1, Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party 1, and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) received 1 seat. 

The number of parties that participated in the election but failed to win any seats in either FPTP or PR was 31. 

The parties that contested the election included CPN (Marxist), Tamsaling Nepal Rashtriya Dal, Rastriya Janata Dal, CPN (Sanyukta Marxist), Lok Kalyan Kari Janata Party Nepal, Nepal Janabhavana Party, Rastriya Janata Dal Nepal, Nepal Janata Party, Mongol National Organization, Nepal Shanti Kshetra Parishad, Shanti Party Nepal, Rastriya Bikash Party, Nepal Sukumbasi Party (Loktantrik), Nepal Rashtriya Bikash Party, Nepal Dalit Shramik Morcha, Samajwadi Party Nepal, Muskan Sena Nepal Party, Nepal Congress (Rashtrabadi), Nepal Communist Dal, Navjanabadi Morcha, Hindu Prajatantrik Party Nepal Samata Party, Rashtrabadi Yuva Morcha, League Nepal Shanti Ekata Party, S-Shakti Nepal, Janamukti Party Nepal, Nepal Rashtriya Loktantrik Dal, Nava Nepal Prajatantrik Dal, Liberal Socialist Party, and Nepal Rashtriya Janakalyan Party. 

Second Constituent Assembly Election 2070 BS

Since the first Constituent Assembly failed to promulgate the constitution, an election government was formed under the leadership of then Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi. That government conducted the second Constituent Assembly election on Mangsir 4, 2070 BS. In this election, the party that stood first in the previous election dropped to third place. 

Similar to the 2064 BS election, 130 parties were registered to participate in this election, of which 122 took part. In this election, 10 parties won seats under FPTP. Congress became the first party with 206 seats: 105 under FPTP, 91 under PR, and 10 nominated seats. 

In addition, in the PR category, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party Nepal secured 24 seats, CPN Male 5, Federal Democratic Tharuhat Morcha (Tharuhat) 1, Nepal Pariwar Dal 2, Rastriya Janamukti Party 2, Samajwadi Janata Party 1, Rastriya Janamorcha 3, CPN (Sanyukta), Nepali Janata Dal 1, Dalit Janajati Party 2, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Ganatantrik) 1, Nepal Parichaya Party 1, and Federal Sadbhavana Party 1 seat. 

Out of the 122 parties that participated in this election, only 22 parties secured representation in the Constituent Assembly. The remaining one hundred parties could not enter parliament as they failed to win seats under either FPTP or PR. 

Parties that participated in the election but failed to reach the House of Representatives:

Rastriya Janamukti Party, Nepal Parichaya Party, Samajwadi Janata Party, Federal Ganatantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal, Nepal Yuva Kisan Party, Nepal Janata Party, Khash Samabesi Rastriya Party, Terai Madhes Pahar Himal Ekata Party, Akhand Sudurpaschim Party Nepal, Madhes Terai Forum, Rastriya Swabhiman Party Nepal, Lok Dal, Janata Dal Nepal, Janata Dal Loktantrik Party, Jan Prajatantrik Party, Shiva Sena Nepal, Pichhda Varga Nishad Dalit Janajati Party, Mongol National Organization, Nava Nepal Nirman Party, Nepal Shanti Kshetra Parishad, Nepal Ganatantrik Ekata Party, Federal Limbuan Rajya Parishad, Bishwa Satyabadi Party, Sahakari Party Nepal, Rastriya Janata Dal Nepal, Shanti Party Nepal, Federal, Samabesi Samajwadi Party Nepal, Garib Ekata Samaj Party Nepal, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Madhes, Rastriya Yatharthwadi Party Nepal, Nepal Aama Party, Janata Dal United, Rastriya Shiva Sena Party, Rastriya Madhes Bahujan Samajwadi Party, Sanyukta Rashtrabadi Morcha Nepal, Rastriya Mukti Andolan Nepal, Chure Bhawar Loktantrik Party, Nepal Nagarik Party, Nepal Labour Party, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Gajendraवादी), Rastriya Nagarik Party, Chure Bhawar Rastriya Party, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (United), Bahujan Samaj Party Nepal, Janatantrik Terai Madhes Mukti Tigers, Hindu Prajatantrik Party Nepal, Naya Nepal Rastriya Party, Janunity Co-operative Party Nepal, Nepal Samabesi Party, Deshbhakta Samaj, Limbuan Mukti Morcha, Liberal Democratic Party, Nepal Janasamabesi Ekata Party, Nepal Communist Party (Male-Samajwadi), Janata Party Nepal, Rastriya Chure Bhawar Party, Nepal Gauravshali Party, Nepal Rashtriya Bikash Party, Rastriya Ekata Party, Social Republican Party, Deshbhakta Paryavaraniya Samajik Morcha, United Green Organization, Janamorcha Nepal, Nepal Rashtransewa Dal, Loktantrik Party-Nepal, Rastriya Jan Bikash Party, Matribhumi Nepal Dal, Naya Sanghata Janadharana Party, Nepal Rashtriya Yatayat Bikash Dal, Rashtrabadi Ekata Party, Limbuan Mukti Morcha Nepal, Nepal Samajwadi Party (Lohiyabadi), Sanghata Bikashwadi Party Nepal, Rashtrabadi Janata Party, Nepal Janabhavana Party, Nepal Nyayik Dal, Tamsaling Rastriya Janekata Party, Sanyukta Janamorcha, Shramik, Janata Party-Nepal, Rastriya Madhes Ekata Party Nepal, Om Sena Nepal, Hariyali Nepal Party, Nepal Madhesi Janata Dal (Samajwadi), Nepal Shramajibi Dal, Yuva Shakti Nepal Party, League Nepal Shanti Ekata Party, Loktantrik Janata Party Nepal, Terai Pahar Himal Samaj Party, Rastriya Loktantrik Yuva Party, Nepali Janata Party, Garib Janata ko Kranti Party, and Nepal Communist Party (Malema) Samyabadi. 

House of Representatives Election 2074 BS

Following the promulgation of the constitution on Aswin 3, 2072 BS, by the Constituent Assembly, the election was held in two phases on Mangsir 10 and 21, 2074 BS. That election was conducted according to the reduced number of seats for the House of Representatives in the constitution. The constitution stipulated that the House of Representatives would have 275 members, with 165 seats under FPTP and 110 seats under PR. The election was held accordingly, with an alliance between the then CPN UML and CPN (Maoist Centre). UML emerged as the first party, Congress as the second, and CPN (Maoist Centre) as the third. 

49 parties participated in the election. Of these, 9 parties reached the House of Representatives through FPTP. Due to the provision that only parties securing 3 percent of the votes cast under PR or winning 1 seat under FPTP would receive seats, only 5 parties fulfilled that process. 

Out of the 49 parties that participated in the election, only 9 could reach the House of Representatives. The remaining 40 parties could not make it. The parties that failed to reach the House of Representatives were: 

Deshbhakta Janaganatantrik Morcha Nepal, Amul Paribartan Masiha Party Nepal, United National Democratic Party (Rashtrabadi), Green Nepal Party, Chure Bhawar Loktantrik Party, Janaprajatantrik Party Nepal, Janshakti Nepal, Tamsaling Loktantrik Party, Deshbhakta Loktantrik Party, Deshbhakta Samaj, Nepal Parichaya Party, Samajwadi Janata Party, Janajagaran Party Nepal, Nepal Communist Party (Marxist), Nepal Communist Party (Ma.Le.), Janasamajwadi Party Nepal, Nepal Janata Party, Nepal Darshan, Nepal Dalit Party, Nepal Naulo Janabadi Party, Nepalwad, Nepal Yuva Kisan Party, Nepal Loktantrik Janata Congress, Nepal Sanghata Samajwadi Party, Nepal Samabesi Party, Nepal Sukumbasi Party (Loktantrik), Nepali Congress (BP), Nepali Janata Dal, Bahujan Shakti Party, Mongol National Organization, Yuva Nepal Party, Rastriya Janamukti Party, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party (Prajatantrik), Rastriya Mukti Andolan Nepal, Rastriya Yatharthwadi Party Nepal, Rastriya Shiva Sena Party, Rastriya Nagarik Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Rastriya Samajwadi Party Nepal, Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Federal Khambuwan Loktantrik Party Nepal, Federal Democratic National Forum, Federal Democratic National Forum (Tharuhat), Federal Samajwadi Forum Nepal, and Hamro Party. 

House of Representatives Election 2079 BS

This election was held on Mangsir 4, 2079 BS. The election took place with an alliance between the Nepali Congress and the then CPN (Maoist Centre), and another alliance between CPN UML, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party, and Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal. 78 parties were registered for the election. Of these, only 12 parties succeeded in securing representation in the House of Representatives through FPTP, and 7 parties through PR. 

• Parties that participated in the election but failed to secure representation in the House of Representatives

CPN (Samajwadi), Mongol National Organization, Hamro Nepali Party, Aam Janata Party, Samabesi Samajwadi Party, Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Nepal Samajwadi Party, Rastriya Janamukti Party, Nepal Sanghata Samajwadi Party, Rastriya Prajatantrik Party Nepal, CPN Male, Nepal Aama Party, Nepali Congress (BP), Nepal Janata Party, Janata Pragatisheel Party, among others.