INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 12The Election Commission today issued a press release reminding political parties of several
provisions of the election code of conduct.
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The poll panel reminded parties of the code's provisions that prohibited parties' cadres and supporters
from using logos, stickers, clothes, shirts, T-shirts, jackets, scarves, caps, badges, masks, or lockets that have parties' flags while
taking part in political parties' rallies and mass meetings
Candidates can, however, use 3X3 square feet party flags and symbols at their offices.
The poll panel also reminded parties
that they should display digital boards, flex boards, glow sign boards, or use audio-visual materials during election campaigns.The poll
panel said children below 18 years of age should not be deployed for campaigning.The EC issued the release after there was a hue and cry in
the social networking sites about violation of election code of conduct by some political parties.Yesterday, the EC issued show cause
notices to CPN (Unified Socialist) and Nepali Congress leader Shashank Koirala for allegedly violating poll code
CPN (US) was accused of violating poll code during recent mass meeting at Bhrikuti Mandap.EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Paudel said that
the EC reminded political parties of the polls code provisions so as to ensure that they fully abide by them
He said the EC had urged all stakeholders, including the public, to lodge complaints against any candidate or political party if they
violated poll code."We have poll code monitoring mechanisms from top to bottom, including at municipal level
We have delegated them power to take action against code violators," Paudel said
He added that the lower mechanisms would send the code violation issues that they could not act on to the EC for it to decide."The EC alone
cannot enforce the poll code
In fact, all stakeholders, including political parties, the public, media, NGOs, and INGOs need to help the poll panel enforce the poll
code," he added.Former chief election commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety told THT that often business persons associated with political parties
violated poll code by distributing clothes, such as jackets and trousers, with parties' flags and symbols."These measures are aimed at
preventing unnecessary expenditure
When those deployed for poll duty find people distributing caps, trousers, or jackets with parties' flags or symbols, they should
immediately inform the EC
However, often they ignore it or take it less seriously," Uprety said and added that implementation of poll code had always been poor.A
version of this article appears in the print on April 13, 2022, of The Himalayan Times
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com