Chamber:
	Pratinidhi Sabha
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	12 May 1991
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the elective seats of the new Parliament provided for in the November 1990 Constitution. The former unicameral National Panchayat (Assembly) last elected in May 1986 had been dissolved in April 1990.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The May 1991 election represented the first multiparty polling in Nepal since 1959 and marked the final phase of a year’s democratisation process highlighted by the adoption of a new Constitution in November 1990. Under this text, the old panchayat system of Parliament was replaced by a mostly elected bicameral legislature. A number of political parties - which had been banned under panchayat - contested the 205 House of Representatives seats. Prominent among these were the Nepali Congress Party of incumbent Prime Minister (since April 1990) K.P.Bhattarai and the United Nepal Communist Party (UNCP). There were altogether more than 1,100 candidates from 20 parties and over 200 independents in the running. The polling process was deemed generally fair. Although largely defeated for Representatives’ seats in the capital, Kathmandu, the Nepali Congress ultimately gained a majority with 112 seats to 68 for the Communists. On 14 May, Prime Minister Bhattarai resigned following his own defeat in the election. On 26 May, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala was appointed to succeed him and, three days later, the new Cabinet was formed.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (12 May 1991): Elections results
Number of registered electors	11,000,000 (approx.)
Voters	7,291,089 (66% - approx.)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	322,023
Valid votes	6,969,061

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Nepali Congress Party (NCP)	112
United Nepal Communist Party (UNCP)	68
United People’s Front (UPF)	9
Nepal Sadavabana Party (NSP)	6
Other parties	8
Independents	2

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	198
Women:	7

Distribution of seats according to age:
25-30 years	17
31-40 years	81
41-50 years	69
51-60 years	25
Over 60 years	11

Comments:
	Data unavailable on remaining members.