73 Days to HoR Election: Proportional Representation Candidate List to Follow Census-Based Inclusive Quota

Kathmandu, Dec 22 – Political parties participating in the proportional representation (PR) system for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election on March 5 are required to submit a closed list of candidates ranging from a minimum of 11 to a maximum of 110 members, the Election Commission (EC) has announced.

According to the House of Representatives Member Election (First Amendment) Guidelines 2082, the candidate lists must reflect the inclusive group quotas based on the latest National Population and Housing Census 2021. The amendment to Schedule 1 of the House of Representatives Member Election Act, 2074, mandates that political parties align their PR lists with the population percentages of different communities.

Under the revised rules, the closed lists should comprise 13.44% Dalits, 28.72% Adibasi Janajatis, 30.28% Khas Aryas, 16.15% Madhesis, 6.52% Tharu, and 4.89% Muslims. In addition, each list must ensure at least 50% participation of women.

Political parties opting for the PR system have been given December 28 and 29 to submit their closed lists of candidates.