The government has issued the Representation of the People (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, stipulating that even if a registered political party forms an alliance, it must contest elections using its own electoral symbol.

The Law Ministry published the gazette of the ordinance on Monday (Nov 3). The development came to light on Tuesday (Nov 4) morning.

Earlier, on 23 October, the Advisory Council had given policy approval to the draft amendment of the Representation of the People Order (RPO). Following that, while the BNP raised objections to the amendment of Article 20 concerning alliance symbols, Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) demanded that the provision be retained.

Finally, the government has issued the ordinance maintaining the provision that parties in an alliance must use their own symbols in elections. As a result, in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, even if multiple registered political parties form an alliance, their nominated candidates will not be allowed to contest under a major or shared symbol; they must run using their respective party symbols.

The RPO has been amended with a series of changes ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. 

Following this amendment, the Election Commission will soon issue updated codes of conduct for parties and candidates in line with the revised order.

Under the Constitution, the Representation of the People Order (RPO) serves as the principal law governing the conduct of elections. The law was first enacted in 1972 following the adoption of the country’s Constitution, and has since undergone several amendments. 

The last amendment was passed in Parliament in 2023 as the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2023.

The RPO outlines the voting rights of citizens and specifies the responsibilities of the Election Commission to safeguard those rights. It also defines the procedures required to ensure that elections are free, fair, and impartial.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election is expected to be held in the first half of February, while the Election Commission is likely to announce the election schedule in early December.