As parties lock in their proportional representation lists for the March 5 election, debates over inclusion have sharpened. Advocacy organisations and media commentators are examining whether women, Dalits, Madhesi, Tharu, Janajati and other historically marginalised groups are not only present on lists but also placed in realistically electable positions. Past elections have shown that parties sometimes comply with minimum legal requirements on paper while ranking preferred elites at the top of closed lists.
This time, youth activists influenced by the Gen Z protests are also tracking how many candidates under 35 appear on PR lists and how often they are nominated for winnable FPTP constituencies. Parties that campaigned on anti-corruption and renewal platforms are under particular scrutiny to demonstrate internal reform. While comprehensive data have yet to be verified independently, early snapshots suggest variation across parties, with some traditional forces slowly improving their diversity records and others facing criticism for recycling the same leadership figures.