The Election Commission has said the counting of votes cast in the federal and provincial elections will begin on Sunday night.

Speaking to journalists after voting from a polling station in Lokanthali of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-1, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said the counting will start at 8pm today after collecting all the ballot boxes.

He added the commission plans to complete the counting for the first-past-the-post category within eight days.

Likewise, CEC Thapaliya claimed the voter turnout will be around 70 percent, directing election officers across the country to make voting process quick and easy.

Voting in the elections of the House of Representatives and provincial assembly is underway across the country on Sunday. The voting started at 7am.

A total of 10,892 polling stations and 22,227 polling centres have been established besides 141 temporary booths for civil servants, security personnel, prisoners and people living in old-age homes to vote.

Approximately 300,000 security personnel, including from Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the National Intelligence Department, will be deployed during the elections. They are assisted by 115,000 temporary police recruits, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.