This research report is a random survey done on social media understanding the user behavior of youth towards the information flow and their understanding regarding Nepal election 2017. It give a clear picture of the democratic practice and values of how democracy is perceived in Nepal and peoples attitude towards the new election in Nepal.

1. 1 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Report on Nepal Election 2017
Social Media Survey
Report
Shreedeep Rayamajhi
Rayznews
May 2017

2. 2 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey
After 18 years, the local level election in Nepal has been confirmed for 14 May, 2017. With a gap of
more than a decade, democracy at local level was always felt Incomplete in the presence of public
elected representative. Despite the uncertainties, political condition and controversies, people are again
excited for election. With the change of leadership, the country has taken a giant leap of ensuring
democratic values to strengthen it more into federalism practice but the faith of the country still perils
in lack of political cooperation and coordination. The new constitution of 2015 ensures rights and
democratic values for every individual and ensuring basic human rights and favorable condition for its
citizens. 1
Looking back in the past, after the tenure of local bodies ended, the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur
Deuba had failed to conduct fresh elections, apparently owing to the Maoist threat and his political
ambitions. Deuba’s recommendation to postpone the parliamentary elections in the end of 2002 led
King Gyanendra to dismiss him from the helm of government on charge of incompetence. Local
elections held in 2005 by the King Gyanendra during his direct rule were widely boycotted by the major
political parties and ineffective. 2
The election has created a new whim of leadership and enthusiasm where various age candidates have
filed their application for the various prestigious position. Similarly, highlighting the scope and role of
new age technology this election focus on the rise of New political parties like Bibeksheel, Naya Shakti,
Shajha Party, Hamro Party etc which are more or less citizen movement oriented or are more influenced
by civil society and social media. A new trend of Women tokenization has been seen as a major threat
where young people with limited experience, education and background have been pulled in for
election in the name of diversity, and cultural balance. Gender and diversity are important issues but
most importantly leadership quality, vision, and skills are more important than just representation.
The young generation or the citizens of Nepal with the boom of social media and communication
process are more proactive about political issues where social media has been an effective means of
communication and trolling issues of concern. The importance of social media and civil society can be
seen with political leaders opening their social media in creating proper communication and dialogue
with public using social media as a platform.
Reality of today is youth of Nepal has certainly stepped up where this survey highlight there is a great
need to promote experience and educated youth leadership to leading position and further focused
awareness campaigns are need for capacity building and awareness building at local and strategic level.
The current Election in Nepal is thought to be a breaking point of traditional orthodox barriers of old
leadership practice in giving scope and role to the new age leaders of social media and communication.
1
The Constitution of Nepal; http://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/np/np029en.pdf
2
The Himalayan times news on election ; https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/govt-announces-hold-nepal-
elections-local-bodies-may-14/

3. 3 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
The candidacy certainly proves to be effective in terms of the leadership but future holds the answer to
the question of who will drive the nation the youth energy or the experience of the old leaders.
Research Objectives:
The basic objective of this research is to segregate the common knowledge and practice of election
among the citizens of Nepal. Though there are various campaigns that are running around but there has
been very less work done in terms of understanding the knowledge and acceptability of election and its
results. This research deals with the basic objective of understanding the capacity of normal public in
terms of their knowledge of current election and its process. The objectives can be listed in following
given points:
 Finding the basic knowledge about election
 Effectiveness of information flow by Election Commission
 Local marketing campaign of Election Commission
 Local assumption and practices regarding Election 2017
 Problems and issues of Election 2017
 Social indicators for Election 2017
 New perspectives and ideologies
 Social media trend
 Youth leadership and barriers
 Scope of young leaders
 Youth concepts and practices
Basic Information of Nepal:
Total Population of Nepal 29,033,914 (July 2016 est.)
Age structure 0-14 years: 30.93% (male 4,646,048/female
4,333,105)
15-24 years: 21.86% (male 3,176,158/female
3,169,721)
25-54 years: 35.99% (male 4,707,264/female
5,740,985)
55-64 years: 6.22% (male 877,288/female 927,202)
65 years and over: 5.02% (male 723,523/female
732,620) (2016 est.)
Sex ratio At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
Source: Index Mundi

4. 4 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
25-54 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.9%
male: 76.4%
female: 53.1% (2015 est.)
Basic Information
Date of Election : May 14
Election Mobile App: The Election Commission has launched a mobile app ‘ECN’ and a
Toll-free number-16600144222
Election Phase: Local level elections slated to be held in two phases- May 14 and June 14.
Name-list checking website : http://election.gov.np/election/np/bbvrs
Local Election code of conduct:
http://www.election.gov.np/ecn/uploads/userfiles/LocalLevelElectionCodeofConductMarch2017.pdf
Information about the Survey
Date of Survey 22/04/2017 to 28/04/2017
Social Media Platform Used Facebook /Google Plus /Twitter/LinkedIn
Survey form Twitter Poll
Link https://goo.gl/aPZOJN
Target Group Twitter users and Citizen
Survey type Twitter Poll
Participation number 52 Participants

5. 5 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Methodology:
The survey was done using twitter poll application and sharing it on various other social media platform
likes facebook, google plus and linked in. The total impression was 634. Various links were set up on
social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and LinkedIn for inviting people for the
participation.
During this survey the participants were asked various questions in terms of poll, their encounters and
action against Election social media trend, social indicator and user behavior.
The selection of participants has been random including invitations sent and shared. Participants from
various fields and sectors have contributed in voicing the current problems and suggestion of what they
have faced and what should be done.
Demography:
Source: Code for Nepal

6. 6 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Findings of the Survey:

7. 7 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Survey Conclusions:
Election in Nepal has always been the voice of public representing democratic values and practice. It has
been one of the very core issues in terms of democracy. No matter how developed or how civilized our
societies are but with the limitation of lack of local elected representative at administrative bodies
democracy always struggled in power politics and proper public governance at local level.
The survey reflects the prospect of election mostly in teenagers especially in and around their
communication network and their expectation of what their understanding and knowledge is.
There seems to be some level of awareness about the definition but regarding action and laws there
seems to be a gap of understanding. 54 percent participants have focused Young leaders with education
and experience where on the other hand there were few participants who mostly focused on the role of
local leaders and party politics. Similarly, there is a majorly of participants who focused on the issue of
new energy and youth leadership stepping in for better values of creating new standards of democracy
and leadership.
The survey also highlights the prime cause of limited approach of Election Commission reaching to
public, the marketing strategies are limited and need to be broadened and use the technology and other
means of communication for creating better values of awareness and capacity building.
The results of survey hugely focuses toward the trend of youth leadership in terms of breaking the
barriers of orthodox political values and system.
The survey results clearly shows the dynamics of various aspect of socio cultural indicators that are
more enthusiastic and very strong in terms of identifying the problems. The limited resources and
awareness programs that are running can be an eye opener but for solution more aggressive and action
oriented campaigns needs to be designed and focused. It needs a more dynamic approach in terms of
communication and media strategy that needs to further researched and explored. A more radical
approach of the survey is the concern of I don’t care attitude which is growing in the youth and needs to
be addressed with proper dissemination of information.
Right to vote is the right to choose leadership, which needs more focused marketing
A wide range of participation was seen from various Sectors from technical field to leaders to lawyers to
IT professional to doctors to students to homemakers with varying a wide sense of prospect and issues
of action.

8. 8 | P a g e Report on Nepal Election 2017 Social Media Survey by Shreedeep Rayamajhi | Rayznews
Recommendations:
The recommendation are listed below
1. Further aggressive awareness campaigns are needed in terms of Election
2. Counselling call center must be efficiently run
3. More focused Social media strategy needs to be devised
4. Effective communication and awareness campaign
5. Use of new age technology and communication medium
6. Information management process needs to be simplified and made user friendly
7. Collaborative approaches need to be developed with Media
8. Lack of multistakeholder communication
9. Lack of efficient marketing strategy
10. Coordination and training of human resource
11. Limitation of political understanding and ideologies
12. Lack of proper survey and research which needs to be done understanding people behavior,
choice and preferences
Information about the Researcher
Shreedeep Rayamajhi
Link: https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shreedeep_Rayamajhi
Email: shreedeep@rayZnews.com
Website: http://www.rayznews.com
[Disclaimer: The suggestions and remarks in this research paper are based on personal
research experience. Research practices and approaches vary. Exercise your own judgment
regarding the suitability of the content.]