Kathmandu, Sept. 27
The Election Commission Nepal (ECN) has directed the
political parties, leaders and other concerned individuals to follow the
'Election Code of Conduct, 2022' from Wednesday.
Issuing a 60-point directive to them, the election authority
said that to maintain fairness, impartiality, transparency and fearless
environment during the election, adherence to the code of conduct is crucial.
People/agencies responsible to abide by the code of
conduct:
a. Government
of Nepal and its ministers
b. Provincial
governments and its ministers
c. Constitutional
bodies and their office bearers
d. Agencies
of federal and provincial government and their officials
e. Local
executives and their members
f.
Employees of federal, provincial and local level
g. Security
agencies and its employees
h. Government,
semi-government and public offices and employees
i.
Political parties and their sister organisations
j.
Candidates and their relatives
k. Election
agents and vote counting representatives of political parties and candidates
l.
Public office holding individuals
m. Officials
of the observation committee and monitors
n. Media
institutions and their employees and media persons
o. Private
and non-government organisations, and their employees
p. Teachers
and staff of schools, colleges and universities
q. Voters
r.
Development partner organisations
s. Projects
run by government or semi-government agencies and their staff
t.
Organisations running voters' education and
their staff
u. Officials,
employees and workers of private sector banks and financial institutions,
cooperative organisations, and commercial and industrial sector
v. Officials,
employees and workers of commodity or service providing companies
w. Other
agencies and persons identified by the ECN
"No work should be done to exhibit weapons or explosives,
threaten anyone or damage their social prestige, boycott or threaten to boycott
someone from the society, misuse economic resources to influence voters and
votes," said the ECN in a statement.
The 60-point directives bar any candidates or concerned
persons as well as organisations to offer or pledge or receive any gift, prize,
donation in the form of cash or goods, and throw or participate in feasts.
Independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national
unity, and dignity of the country should not be hurt or affected while
conducting election and promotional campaign. Likewise, no one should disturb
the harmony among the various castes, religions, classes, regions and
communities or propagate hatred among them and incite violence.
The code of conduct has barred any political party,
candidate, sister organisation or concerned individual from conducting
demonstration or protest programmes targeting someone at his/her residence.
They are not allowed to hold rallies and processions, corner meetings, mass
meetings and other gatherings without obtaining permission from the local
administration.
Similarly, use of flags, clothes, stickers, caps, vests, T-shirts,
jackets, shirts, towels, masks, badges or lockets containing the insignia,
election symbol of the candidate or political parties is also restricted. Such
items can't be pasted or hung at public places or private properties.
"More than two political parties, candidates or sister
organisations of the parties should not organise rallies, processions, meetings
and other programmes at the same location or road at the same time," read
the code of conduct.
No stakeholders are allowed to announce to donate money or
goods or prizes or election expenditures to any other parties while children
are not allowed to be used in any political activities.
No posters or digital displays or road shows are allowed for
the election campaigns.
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