Election largely peaceful but misinformation a major challenge: NEOC Coordinator
Kathmandu — The recent House of Representatives election was largely peaceful across the country, but the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media emerged as a major challenge, according to Prarthana Chhetri, program coordinator at the National Election Observation Committee (NEOC).
In an interview with Radio Nepal’s news editor Kaushal Ghimire, Chhetri discussed election observation findings, the role of technology in shaping the electoral environment, and the steps needed to counter misinformation ahead of future polls.
You can listen to the audio interview by pressing the play button or read it below
Interview
Q: You were involved in observing the House of Representatives election held on March 5. What were your key observations on election day?
Prarthana Chhetri:
Overall, the election was very peaceful. We recorded very few incidents across the country. If we compare it with the 2022 federal and provincial elections, there were instances back then where voting had to be repeated in some areas because the process was disrupted.
However, in the 2026 election, we did not observe such cases of voter suppression or mismanagement. From both the security perspective and the code of conduct, the election day environment remained largely calm.
That said, one major challenge emerged during the silent period — the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media. Unlike traditional violations of the code of conduct, these were taking place mainly through online platforms.
This was somewhat unexpected. Civil society organizations, political parties and even election authorities were not fully prepared for the scale at which online misinformation could spread.
Q: We are also seeing misinformation circulating even during the vote-counting phase. How serious was this issue in this election?
Chhetri:
Yes, we saw a lot of misinformation circulating, especially regarding candidates and vote numbers. In many ways, this was unprecedented.
Even though the previous election was only three years ago, digital technology has evolved rapidly since then. Concepts like deepfakes and AI-generated content were not as prominent earlier. Now they have become real challenges in the electoral process.
Q: What recommendations would you give to election authorities to counter misinformation, disinformation and deepfake technology?
Chhetri:
This is not just a challenge for Nepal; it is a global issue. The pace of technological advancement, particularly with artificial intelligence, has been extremely rapid. Unfortunately, policy frameworks have not kept pace with these developments.
For example, a study by Harvard Business Review in 2022 found that around 30 percent of AI applications in governance worldwide exhibit algorithmic bias.
Moving forward, governments need stronger policies to manage and regulate the use of AI, especially when it comes to the dissemination of information. AI can certainly be used as a useful tool, but governments must strengthen policy frameworks to address its negative impacts as well.
Q: This election followed a politically charged period, including the Gen-Z movement and tensions between traditional and emerging political forces. Despite that, the election remained largely peaceful. What contributed to that?
Chhetri:
It is encouraging that we did not witness major violence from any side — whether from established parties, newer political forces, or the Gen-Z movement supporters.
I believe the government did a good job in recognizing the concerns of different political groups. At the same time, political parties also seemed to understand that elections were necessary and could not be postponed indefinitely.
The best way to ensure legitimacy was for all political forces to participate peacefully and operate within the country’s security and legal framework. In that sense, the process moved forward quite positively.
Q: Local and provincial elections are approaching within the next 15 to 18 months. What steps is NEOC planning to take to address misinformation and prepare voters?
Chhetri:
Civil society organizations must remain highly alert now. Misinformation and disinformation are often underestimated because they are not physical forms of violence, but their impact on democracy can be significant.
NEOC plans to focus on increasing civic and political awareness among voters, both through digital platforms and in-person programs. Nepal also faces a digital divide between urban and rural populations, so both approaches are necessary.
We are also planning to collaborate with social media companies such as TikTok. In fact, during this election, TikTok representatives visited Nepal and trained organizations like NEOC on how to identify and report misinformation.
Through these channels, we can report harmful content directly to the platforms. Greater cooperation between governments, civil society organizations and technology companies will be essential to counter the negative effects of misinformation and AI in future elections.
Comments