Executive Summary
Nepal’s electoral system faces significant challenges in accommodating its large diaspora estimated at over 2.5 million citizens abroad for employment with accumulated one million undocumented in India and others part of the world, one million as permanent residents, 100,000 for Education and internal migrants, who often cannot return to their home constituencies on Election Day. This report, “Enhancing Nepal’s Electoral System: Alternative Voting System for Nepal,” argues that adopting a hybrid model of Internet Voting (i-Voting) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is essential to foster inclusive democracy, boost voter turnout, and align with the Supreme Court’s 2018 directive mandating overseas voting rights. With elections less than five months away, the authors emphasize the urgency of leveraging digital tools over unreliable postal systems, drawing on global best practices to propose feasible, secure reforms tailored to Nepal’s socio-economic context.
Key insights highlight the limitations of traditional voting and the viability of alternatives. Globally, countries like the United States and United Kingdom rely on absentee ballots and early voting with robust security measures such as signature verification and audits, while India restricts absentee options but demonstrates EVM efficacy for large-scale elections. In i-Voting, Mexico’s 2024 system for its 12 million diaspora uses blind signatures and homomorphic encryption for anonymity and integrity; Estonia’s mature platform, with over 50% online votes in 2023, emphasizes PKI and re-voting for coercion resistance; and Pakistan’s NOVS for 9 million expatriates integrates biometric authentication despite scalability issues. For Nepal, the proposed system enables internal migrants to vote via multi-constituency urban EVMs or i-Voting portals, authenticated by e-passports or National IDs, while overseas voters register through embassies or online for remote access. Additional features include a “None of the Above” (NOTA) option to express dissent, real-time voter synchronization to prevent fraud, and partnerships with vendors like Smartmatic for ready-made platforms.
Policy implications are actionable and cost-conscious. Estimated at USD 10-15 million for i-Voting and NPR 64-70 crore for EVMs (60% cheaper than paper ballots long-term), implementation could save billions over cycles. A roadmap outlines establishing a dedicated ECN department by October 2025, infrastructure development by December, awareness campaigns through March 2026, and piloting in March. Challenges like cybersecurity risks, digital divides, and political resistance require international collaborations, legal amendments to the Election Act, and public education. Ultimately, these reforms could empower remitters contributing 33% of GDP, enhance transparency, and set a regional precedent for resilient democracy, urging immediate government action to enfranchise marginalized voters.
