The CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress are likely to get almost equal number of seats under the Proportional Representation category of the House of Representatives as the vote count nears its end.

Based on a calculation of votes counted until 8pm on Friday, the UML is likely to get 41 seats in the PR category of the House while the NC could secure 40 seats. The CPN (Maoist Centre) might get 17 seats, followed by six each of the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal and the Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal.

Based on the probable seat allotment, the NC will emerge as the second largest party in Parliament, behind the UML. With just 23 seats under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, the NC lags behind the UML and the Maoist Centre, which secured 80 and 36 seats, respectively, in the direct polls.

The calculation of PR seats is based on the Sainte Laguë formula that the Election Commission will be using to determine the number of seats to be given to the parties securing votes above the 3 percent threshold.

According to the EC, vote counting is ongoing in the Sunsari-2 and -3, Sarlahi-2 and -3 and Surkhet-1 constituencies. Until 8pm on Friday, the Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the RPP (Prajatantrik) secured sixth, seventh and eighth positions in the number of PR votes. But they are unlikely to reach the vote threshold.

Although the EC has been updating the count on its website based on the details received from the counting centres, the Office of the Chief Election Officer headed by the EC secretary will decide the seats on the basis of verification of data from the offices of the election officers across the country.

Geeta Prasad Timsina, joint attorney general at the EC, said the poll authority could allocate the seats by Monday provided that all the verified details are received by Saturday.