Kathmandu, March 4 -- This Thursday, Nepal will hold its ninth parliamentary election in its democratic history. Originally scheduled for November/December 2027, the election has been brought forward by nearly two years, on the back of the Gen Z uprising of September 8-9 after the movement claimed the lives of 77 people and caused billions in damage to private and public property last year.

The youth revolt toppled the coalition government led by KP Sharma Oli, which was backed by the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. On the very day a new citizens' government was formed on September 12 under former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, a decision was made to hold House of Representatives elections on March 5.

In the silence period of the parliamenta...