KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Election Commission will begin the proportional representation (PR) process for the upcoming House of Representatives election on 6 December.

The Commission has set up the Office of the Election Officer for the PR system at its Kantipath premises, with preparations starting on Sunday. According to the approved election timetable, political parties intending to contest under the PR system must submit their applications between 10:00 and 16:00 from 7 to 9 December.

The Commission will publish the list of parties that have applied on 10 December. Parties will then be required to submit their closed lists of candidates on 28 and 29 December. The finalisation of these lists is scheduled for 3 February.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari inaugurated the PR Election Officer’s Office. Secretary Mahadev Panth has been appointed Election Officer, with Assistant Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai named Assistant Election Officer. A team of 41 staff members will oversee the PR process.

Bhandari said the selection of PR representatives would follow a formula-based method, with technical support from the Central Bureau of Statistics. He said the approach would ensure representation by ethnicity, geography and gender, helping maintain public trust in the process.

Under the current electoral system, 275 members of the House of Representatives are elected through a mixed method: 165 through direct voting and 110 through proportional representation. Nomination for the direct election is set for 20 January at designated Election Officer offices.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Rameshwar Prasad Khanal and Law Minister Anil Kumar Sinha met the Acting Chief Election Commissioner and other officials on Sunday to discuss pre-election preparations and the government’s support to ensure a smooth electoral process.