EC begins reviewing parties’ PR lists

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 31: A total of 64 political parties have submitted their closed lists for the proportional representation (PR) system at the Election Commission (EC) for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) polls slated for March 5, 2026. 

EC’s spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, said a total of 64 political parties have submitted their closed lists for the proportional representation category, with candidates competing under 58 election symbols. In total, 4,424 candidates have been registered for proportional representation from the 64 political parties.

The Commission had set a deadline for the submission of closed lists for December 28 and 29. According to Bhattarai, the political parties submitted their lists by late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.

According to the EC, 22 parties have registered candidates for all PR seats, including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, Rastriya Swatantra Party, while other parties have submitted lists ranging from 10 to 110 candidates.

Likewise, a total of six political parties have submitted lists with only 11 candidates as required under the proportional representation guidelines. The first party to submit its list was the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, while the last party to submit its list was the Nepali Congress. 

Out of the 64 parties, 54 have registered under their own election symbols, while 10 parties are competing under four common symbols.

According to EC, Aam Janata Party and Janadesh Party will contest under the electoral symbol ‘mobile’, Sachet Nepali Party and Nagarik Sarbochhata Party Nepal under the electoral symbol ‘lion’, Rastriya Mukti Party, Janata Samajwadi Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party Nepal under ‘janto’ (stone grinder) and Nepal Sanghiya Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Ekata Party and Nepal  Janajagrit Party Nepal under ‘bus’. 

The parties, including the Nepali Congress, which did not submit their closed lists by the set deadline, have submitted them on Tuesday morning.

EC begins investigation of PR candidate lists 

The Election Commission has begun an investigation into the closed lists of candidates submitted by political parties for the proportional representation system. 

The Election Commission has also set the dates for the investigation of the submitted closed lists from December 30 to January 4.

Along with the investigation, the EC will send letters to parties requesting corrections for any errors identified in the lists.

Meanwhile, RSP submits closed lists of 110 PR candidates, including celebrities, filmmakers, YouTubers and well-known personalities from various fields. 

Following the merger of Bibeksheel Party, Ujyalo Nepal Party, RSP and Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, the RSP submitted the closed lists of candidates by incorporating the closed allies of Energy Minister Kul Man Ghising’s Ujyalo Nepal Party, RSP and Balen’s. 

The closed lists included the names including singer Prakash Saput, film producer Asif Shah, cricketer Gyanendra Malla, actress Rima Bishwakarma, Dr. Abhishek Raj Singh and former member of National Human Rights Commission Mohana Ansari, among others.