The Election Commission (EC) has claimed that the results of the first-past-the-post election scheduled for March 5 will be made public within 24 hours of the counting beginning.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Ram Prasad Bhandari, the officiating chief election commissioner, said preparations were underway to promptly collect ballot boxes and announce results. He added that vote counting under the direct electoral system would proceed simultaneously across constituencies.

“It takes time to collect ballot boxes from hilly and mountainous areas, but we are making efforts to bring them as quickly as possible. In places where transportation is difficult, ballot boxes are collected using Nepali Army helicopters,” he said.

Bhandari said inviting international observers ahead of elections was a normal democratic practice aimed at informing them about the electoral environment and ensuring transparency.

The EC also objected to opinion polls conducted before voting and to the declaration of victory or defeat, or of results, based on such surveys.

Bhandari said such activities violate election laws and the election code of conduct, adding that the electoral body was determined to put an end to the practice. He noted that the EC remains sensitive to attempts to announce election outcomes from outside the country before voters have exercised their franchise.

He said the commission had already held discussions with Press Council Nepal on the issue, while some related matters have reached the courts.

“Opinion or verbal surveys are prohibited by law and by the code of conduct. If a media outlet forcibly conducts a survey and announces winners and losers, it raises serious questions about compliance,” he said.