The Election Commission of Nepal and the Department of National ID and Civil Registration have formalized a partnership aimed at enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the country’s voter list. The two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding on October 29 in Kathmandu to facilitate the sharing of personal data that will support voter list updates and verifications.

Under the agreement, the Election Commission (EC) will gain access to personal event registration records maintained in the department’s Personal Event Registration and Social Security Management Information System. This data exchange, conducted through secure technical channels, is designed to help the EC verify voter details more systematically and remove outdated or incorrect entries, such as the names of deceased individuals or information affected by migration.

The memorandum was signed by Joint Secretary Rajendra Kumar K.C. on behalf of the Election Commission and Director General Krishna Paudel for the Department of National ID and Civil Registration. According to Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, the EC’s spokesperson and joint secretary, the partnership will also involve the creation of a joint technical working group. This group, staffed by representatives from both organizations, will oversee technical challenges and ensure smooth implementation of the agreement.

Bhattarai emphasized that new technologies will be developed to safeguard the security and confidentiality of personal data during the exchange process. The collaboration is expected to not only improve the accuracy and efficiency of voter list maintenance but also strengthen the integration of information technology within Nepal’s election management framework.

By coordinating data from personal event registrations with electoral records, the EC aims to maintain a more up-to-date and reliable voter registry ahead of future elections, promoting transparency and trust in the electoral process.