The Election Commission has estimated that the upcoming House of Representatives election, scheduled for Falgun 21, will cost around Rs 7arba 50 crore.
According to the commission, the budget is still in the preparation phase. The final version will be confirmed soon and then sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval.
Election Commission spokesperson Suman Ghimire said the budget is not finalized yet. “We have estimated that around Rs 7arba 50 crore will be required, but the final figure is yet to be decided,” he said.
The commission is also preparing a list of materials needed for the election. It plans to start purchasing these items soon after the Chhath festival ends. Discussions with the Finance Ministry are ongoing. The commission also plans to reuse some materials from previous elections to reduce costs.
Helicopters for mountain regions
In addition to purchasing materials, the commission plans to allocate funds for emergency management. This includes arranging helicopters to transport staff and election materials to Himalayan areas, where bad weather could make travel difficult. The commission wants to ensure that polling officials and ballot materials can reach these remote regions safely when the weather allows.
One polling center for every 1,000 voters
The commission plans to set up one polling center for every 1,000 voters, continuing the same practice used in past elections.
This means a large number of election staff will be needed, as each polling center will require at least 14 workers. Extra staff will also be assigned for vote counting after polling ends.
Overall, most of the election expenses are expected to go toward staff deployment and logistics.
