In the capital city of Kathmandu, the Nepali Congress assembled for its fifteenth national convention, known locally as the Mahadivisan. The event brought together delegates from across the country to deliberate on the party’s direction and to carry out internal organisational business. As one of the longest‑standing political formations in Nepal, the congress uses such gatherings to refresh its leadership structures and to set the agenda for the months ahead.
Central to the convention’s programme was the election of a new Central Working Committee, the body that oversees the party’s day‑to‑day affairs and implements decisions made by the larger central committee. Delegates were called upon to cast ballots for individuals who would sit on this executive organ, shaping policy, strategy and the party’s public face. The outcome of this vote would determine who steers the Nepali Congress in the immediate future.
The election authorities had originally planned for the voting period to conclude at three o’clock in the afternoon. This timing was communicated to all participants as the deadline by which ballot papers had to be deposited in the boxes. The schedule was intended to give voters a defined window to make their choices while keeping the convention’s overall timetable on track.
This two‑hour addition was described as the amount of time added to the voting period to accommodate any delays or late‑arriving voters.
On the day of the election, the Election Committee Secretary, Raju Katuwal, issued a formal notice announcing a change to the previously set deadline. The notice informed delegates that the voting would remain open longer than initially planned. Katuwal’s role as secretary placed him at the centre of the electoral process, and his communication was the mechanism through which the adjustment was conveyed to the voting public.
The notice specified that the voting period would be extended by two hours. Consequently, the new closing time was set at five o’clock in the evening, moving the deadline forward from the original three‑pm mark. This two‑hour addition was described as the amount of time added to the voting period to accommodate any delays or late‑arriving voters.
The stated rationale behind the extension was to allow more time for voters to cast their ballots. By pushing the deadline to five pm, the election committee aimed to guarantee that every eligible participant would have a fair opportunity to take part in the selection of the new Central Working Committee.
Shortly after the secretary’s notice, the Central Election Committee of the Nepali Congress released its own statement confirming the adjustment. It reiterated that the voting, which forms part of the party’s fifteenth general convention, would now conclude at five pm instead of three pm. The committee’s endorsement reinforced the decision and signaled a unified stance across the party’s electoral authorities.
The announcement of the extended voting window was made on the date recorded as 23 Asoj in the Nepali calendar. This day corresponds to the period when the convention was in full swing, and the notice was distributed to delegates present at the venue in Kathmandu. The use of the local calendar date highlights the timing of the decision within the Nepali cultural context.
According to the chronological record, the election committee’s extension, the ongoing voting for the Central Working Committee, and the formal announcement all took place on the same Gregorian date: 2026-10-09. On that day, delegates were actively casting their votes while the extended deadline remained in effect, and the party’s electoral officials monitored the process to ensure compliance with the revised schedule.
As the convention continues, the voting for the Nepali Congress’s Central Working Committee remains open, with the final hour set to elapse at five o’clock in the evening. The two‑hour extension, originally announced by Raju Katuwal and affirmed by the Central Election Committee, stands as the current rule governing the election. Participants now have until that moment to submit their ballots, after which the votes will be tallied to determine the new leadership lineup.