KATHMANDU — The Election Commission of Nepal has prepared a preliminary budget estimating around Rs 7.5 billion for the House of Representatives election scheduled on Falgun 21. Officials said the figure could change slightly after internal discussions before final approval.
The proposed budget covers staff mobilization, logistics, and procurement of election materials across the country. Most of the spending will go toward deploying personnel, as each polling center requires at least 14 employees to manage voting and counting. On average, one polling station will serve about 1,000 voters.
Helicopter Support Planned for Mountain Regions
The Commission expects challenges in the Himalayan districts because of difficult terrain and unpredictable weather. To ensure timely delivery of election materials and staff, it plans to use helicopters where necessary — a provision already included in the budget plan.
Unlike in previous elections, the Commission is keeping expenses realistic. During the 2079 election, about Rs 3 billion went unspent and had to be returned to the government. “There’s no point asking for more money than we can actually use,” one election commissioner said. “This time, our goal is to keep spending practical and transparent.”
Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal has already urged the Commission to keep costs under control. In response, Commission officials suggested that the ministry assign trusted staff to help oversee spending. “We’ve told the minister to deploy officials he trusts,” a Commission source said. “We’re committed to making sure public funds are used responsibly.”
