The Election Commission has decided to use biometric data collected during the preparation of national identity cards for the registration of names in the voter list. The decision to use the biometric data collected for national identity cards has been made to facilitate the process due to the increasing pressure to register names in the voter list.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the commission officials and the registration department officials at Singha Durbar on Wednesday afternoon at the initiative of Prime Minister Sushila Karki, informed the Prime Minister's Press Coordinator Ram Bahadur Rawal. 

'It has been decided to use the biometric data already collected at the National Identity Card and Registration Department for the voter list,' he said. Press Coordinator Rawal informed that the commission and the department will proceed with this after completing the necessary legal process. He said that this will make it easier for voters who have a national identity card number and cannot attend the election office in person.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari informed that the commission has already decided to use the biometrics at the Registration Department for voter ID cards. The commission has started preparations to start the process from Thursday. Technical preparations and its testing are being completed overnight on Wednesday.

'Technicians from both sides are preparing for this. People who have made a national identity card have filled the online form for the voter registration card. However, they have not had time for the biometrics. We will take their biological details from the Registration Department,' he said, 'We are preparing to complete technical preparations and tests overnight and implement them from tomorrow.' 

In a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office, Director General of the National Identity Card and Registration Department, Namraj Ghimire, had said that the biological details of the people collected for the national identity card would be provided to the Commission. Director General Ghimire said that the national identity card number should be provided while filling out personal details (pre-enrollment) online for the voter identity card. 'We provide the biological details of those with national identity card numbers to the Commission,' he said, 'The Commission will complete the remaining registration process.' He said that the engineers of the department and the Commission are gathering to carry out the technical process. 

With the latest decision to create a national identity card, the obligation to go to the election office to take a photo and give 'biometrics' after filling out the online form for the voter identity card will be eliminated. Citizens submit their personal and biological details while creating the national identity card. Once the government agency collects ‘biometrics’, the details can be used elsewhere, but the public has been complaining that they have been given double trouble without doing so. 

As the deadline of 30 Kartik for registering names in the voter list approaches, the pressure to register has increased across the country. After complaints that the commission’s ‘servers’ are down and ‘biometrics’ are not being processed due to the sudden increase in pressure, Gen-G youth had increased pressure on the government and the commission to address the problem. The Prime Minister’s Office had written to the commission on Monday to address these complaints.