The Election Commission on Monday opened the Office of Election Officer for the proportional representation (PR) electoral system for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections slated for March 5. 

The Office is established at the EC premises in the federal capital.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari inaugurated the Office, EC's Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said.  

With the opening of the Office for the proportional representation electoral system, EC Secretary Mahadev Pantha has assumed the responsibility as the Election Officer for the PR system, while Joint Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai is named as the Assistant Election Officer. 

A total of 41 staff members have been deployed to manage the PR election.

Under existing law, the 275 members of the House of Representatives are elected through two systems: direct election and proportional representation. 

Of these, 165 members are elected directly, while the remaining 110 are nominated through the PR system. For the direct (first-past-the-post) electoral system, the program for filing nominations at the respective election officers' offices is scheduled for January 20.

On the occasion, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari expressed confidence that establishment of the Office for the PR system will facilitate the process for the stakeholders. 

Bhandari mentioned that representatives will be selected based on ethnic, geographic, and gender categories through a formula-based method with support from the National Statistics Office (NSO), which will be trusted from all sides.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Rameshwor Prasad Khanal and Minister for Law Anil Kumar Sinha held discussions with the Acting Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners at the EC regarding the polls preparations. 

The discussions focused on the support required from the government to ensure the elections in a free and fair manner. 

Minister Khanal also expressed commitment to ensure the required budget for the EC to hold the polls.