EC moving ahead with plan to hold election on 8 February

The Election Commission (EC) has initially fixed 8 February 2026 as the tentative date for the 13th national parliamentary election, according to a senior official at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO).

The official told The Business Standard that EC officials have already begun internal discussions on possible dates, considering 5, 8, and 12 February. Among these, 5 and 12 February fall on Thursday, while 8 February is a Sunday.

"Since there are two government holidays just before 8 February, voters living in cities, especially job holders, will be able to travel to their home districts to cast their votes," the official said.

He added, "Holding the election on a Thursday would require voters to take leave on Wednesday to travel, which could reduce voter turnout. For this reason, most senior officials of the commission favour 8 February."

According to CAO sources, the EC is an entirely independent body and, as per rules, only the commission can announce the election schedule. Although the election date may be known informally beforehand, the government cannot officially disclose it. Nonetheless, 8 February remains the most likely date.

The official further said that it will take two days after voting to publish the official gazette of results. Once the gazette is issued, the government will invite the winning party or alliance to form the next administration.