Kathmandu: As the House of Representatives elections scheduled for February 21 draw closer, political parties have intensified their internal preparations. Political activities have increased after the Election Commission moved ahead simultaneously with preparations for both the House of Representatives and National Assembly elections.

Deadline for Proportional Candidate Lists
The Election Commission has already made public the work schedule for political parties participating under the proportional election system. According to the schedule, parties must submit their closed lists of candidates from 10 am to 4 pm on Poush 13 and 14. Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that 93 political parties have applied to participate in the proportional list for the House of Representatives elections.

Inclusive Representation Based on Census Data
For this election, the percentage of inclusive groups under the proportional system has been determined on the basis of the National Census 2078. The commission has fixed new percentages to ensure representation of Khas Arya, Adivasi Janajati, Madhesi, Dalit, Tharu and Muslim communities in line with the revised population data. The commission has also provided necessary training to support parties in the candidate selection process.

High-Level Political Dialogue Begins
High-level political dialogue has also started to help create an environment conducive to the elections. On Tuesday, President Ram Chandra Poudel held discussions at Sheetal Niwas with Prime Minister Sushila Karki and top leaders of the three major political parties. In addition, the commission has appointed district judges as election officers for the upcoming National Assembly elections scheduled for Magh 11 and has moved the process forward.

Parties Busy with Internal Consultations
Both the parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives and the newly registered parties are currently engaged in internal discussions to ensure inclusiveness and prepare their closed lists of candidates.