The Election Commission’s decision to integrate biometric data collected for the National Identity Card (NID) into the voter registration process resulted in a notable surge in voter registrations. While 344,914 citizens visited election offices for on-site biometric enrolment, an additional 492,180 registered online using their NID biometrics. This initiative not only reflects the public’s eagerness but also highlights the potential of e-governance in strengthening civic participation and expanding the scope of governance.

Effective implementation of e-governance must be linked with the enhancement of democratic norms and values. At the operational level, e-governance helps streamline service delivery, expand public choices and optimise resource mobilisation. At a broader level, it improves accessibility, strengthens public ownership of governance, reduces social, geographic and cultural barriers, and increases trust in the relevance of democratic principles in everyday life. A successful e-governance system reinforces core democratic ideals such as equality, accountability, transparency and active civic participation.

Actualisation of e-governance

E-governance has long been a buzzword in discussions about Nepal’s governance reforms. These debates often emphasise reducing the need for physical presence to access government services and expanding the depth and reach of digital governance. Recently, the government set up an E-Governance Board, which has published an e-governance blueprint. It focuses on seven key pillars aimed at addressing digital governance gaps. Additionally, the Digital Nepal Framework (2019) is already being implemented across eight priority sectors, including digital foundations, health, education, agriculture, energy, tourism, finance and urban infrastructure.

Despite these initiatives, public perception of essential service delivery, such as licence renewal, vehicle tax payment and passport issuance, remains overshadowed by images of crowded offices, long queues and slow procedures. To understand this frustration, it is vital to consider the liberal reforms of the 1990s, which shifted many basic services—health, education, communication, banking, transportation and everyday consumer services—into the private sector. Fast service, logistical efficiency and digital payment systems quickly became the norm. As a result, citizens accustomed to such convenience as consumers experience a disconnect when encountering outdated and cumbersome processes in public service offices, such as waiting in line for a bank payment.

Addressing public frustration does not always require a complete overhaul of government policy. Often, it simply requires targeted improvements that untangle bottlenecks in service delivery through e-governance tools such as e-filing systems, e-payment options, online applications, online file tracking, KYC processes and biometric integration. These changes do not demand large investments or sweeping policy shifts; rather, they call for data integration, procedural simplification and interoperability across government systems to eliminate duplication and enhance public experience.

At a broader level, policy reform is necessary to create a conducive environment for the growth and expansion of Nepal’s indigenous software industry. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, IT service exports in the first seven months of fiscal year 2024-025 reached Rs12.41 billion. This trend shows significant potential, but further progress requires strengthened data infrastructure, protection for local IT industries, supportive FDI policies, and investment and credit facilities for IT-based entrepreneurship. The use of the National Identity Card as a central digital platform has improved the digital landscape, along with the introduction of the Nagrik App, but gaps remain in biometric and data integration across government service channels. Overcoming such barriers would eliminate the need for physical presence in many services. The successful integration of NID data into voter registration demonstrates that biometric integration is possible and can be replicated across other sectors.

E-governance and democracy

The study of e-governance requires a comprehensive approach that pairs technological progress with advancements in democratic practice. Democracy demands active public participation, especially in Nepal, where federal governance structures are still in their early stages and lack the deeply rooted legal and participatory traditions of older democracies. Nepal cannot afford to rely solely on routine electoral processes, where periodic government changes and the act of voting alone are treated as indicators of a healthy democracy. Instead, frequent and constructive exchange between the public and the state is crucial for sustaining democratic life.

E-governance does more than improve service delivery; it plays a vital role in nurturing and strengthening democratic foundations. It creates multiple channels for citizens to engage in dialogue with the state and for the state to align public services with evolving civic expectations. When communication gaps widen and engagement weakens, the social contract that binds the state and public erodes—creating opportunities for discontent and instability. Even simple tools such as online feedback platforms, public surveys and digital grievance systems help maintain trust and foster meaningful communication. The feeling of being heard is central to sustaining public participation in any democracy.

E-governance also reduces social cleavages shaped by physical remoteness and marginalisation. Through initiatives like telemedicine and mobile service delivery supported by real-time data, digital governance eases the strains created by decades of uneven decentralised development. Simplifying lengthy procedures through digital applications, enabling efficient project tracking, and allowing online public oversight all help strengthen state–citizen relations by minimising inequalities in access to public goods.

Conclusion

The discourse on e-governance requires a broader understanding of its relationship with democratic norms and principles. Nepal’s federal system constitutionally ensures the division of rights and resources among federal, provincial and local governments. In this context, e-governance not only ensures ease of mobility for the public in accessing a wide range of public services but also acts as a fulcrum to smooth the mobility of the overall democratic process. Moving forward, priority must be given to developing robust data infrastructure, institutionalising IT audits, and strengthening collaboration with IT entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on data security, reliability and accessibility to improve the current state of e-governance.