Finance Ministry Allocates Rs 19.15 Billion for Election Management, Rs 6.31 Billion Released

The Ministry of Finance has approved budgetary allocations totaling Rs 19.15 billion for the management of elections to the House of Representatives and the National Assembly under the current fiscal year 2082/83. According to the ministry, Rs 6.31 billion of the approved amount has already been released to concerned agencies for election preparations.

The ministry stated that the allocation and release of funds are being carried out in phases to ensure timely preparation, operational efficiency, and transparency in election-related spending. Funds have been provided to various institutions based on their respective roles and responsibilities in the election process.

The Election Commission has received the largest share of the released funds so far. The ministry approved Rs 4.96 billion on November 18 and an additional Rs 1.77 billion on December 20 for election management. With these two disbursements combined, the commission has received a total of Rs 6.31 billion to date.

To strengthen election security and intelligence coordination, the National Investigation Department was provided Rs 280 million on November 13. The allocation is intended to support surveillance, information gathering, and security preparedness during the election period.

The Nepali Army has also received funding for election-related responsibilities. The ministry released Rs 44.25 million on December 28 for the purchase of security equipment. In addition, Rs 1.94 billion was allocated on December 20 to cover operational and logistical expenses related to election security and support.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and its subordinate agencies have been allocated the largest portion of the election budget. According to the finance ministry, Rs 10.39 billion has been approved for managing House of Representatives election-related expenses, including security deployment, logistics, and administrative operations.

For the management of the National Assembly member election, the Election Commission has been provided an additional Rs 43.18 million. The ministry said this allocation is aimed at ensuring smooth conduct of the upper house election alongside preparations for the House of Representatives polls.

The Ministry of Finance emphasized that the phased approval and release of funds play a crucial role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficiency in election preparation. The ministry added that further disbursements will be made as needed, depending on the progress and requirements of the election process.