KATHMANDU: The Standing Committee meeting of the ruling CPN-Maoist Center has agreed to expand the number of office bearers and make it 15 from the prevalent five.

According to Maoist Center sources, the SC meeting of the party held in the party’s central office at Paris Danda Friday afternoon, agreed on leader Dev Gurung’s proposal to increase the number of office-bearers.

Leader Gurung, who is the coordinator of the task force formed to decide the number of office bearers, submitted the proposal in today’s SC meeting.

“SC agreed to increase the number of office bearers and make it 15, yet, the SC decision will be discussed in the central committee meeting before getting validated,” a leader said.

The Maoist Center is having its national conference in Kathmandu on December 26-28.

The party’s SC also finalized 1,483 members to participate in the national conference. According to Maoist Center Spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the meeting decided to nominate 10 percent of the total number after there were far too many aspirants to participate in the conference. He said 148 members would be nominated and the responsibility to nominate representative has been entrusted on Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

The Central Committee meeting will decide on the office bearers before the national conference kicks off.

Earlier,  the SC meeting had discussed Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s political proposal to be submitted at the national conference.