KATHMANDU:-  With only 86 days left for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5, 2026, the Election Commission (EC) has formally opened the Office of the Election Officer dedicated to overseeing the proportional representation (PR) electoral process.

The office, set up within the EC premises in Kathmandu, was inaugurated on Monday by Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari, according to EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai.

Following the office’s establishment, EC Secretary Mahadev Pantha has taken charge as the Election Officer for the PR system, while Joint Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai has been appointed Assistant Election Officer. A total of 41 staff members have been assigned to manage PR-related responsibilities.

As per existing electoral provisions, the 275-member HoR is elected through a mixed system—165 members through direct (first-past-the-post) voting and 110 through proportional representation. The nomination filing for FPTP candidates will take place on January 20 at the respective election offices.

During the inauguration, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari said the new PR office would streamline the process for all stakeholders. He highlighted that representatives under the PR system would be chosen using a formula-based approach with data support from the National Statistics Office (NSO), ensuring transparency and broad confidence.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Rameshore Prasad Khanal and Law Minister Anil Kumar Sinha met with election commissioners to discuss ongoing preparations. The talks focused on government support required to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. Minister Khanal pledged the necessary budget to ensure smooth election management.