The Election Commission (EC), the country’s poll body, has sought clarification from eight organisations and six individuals, including CPN (Moaist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ for violating the election code of conduct.
EC’s Assistant Spokesperson Kamal Bhattarai said the commission had sought clarification from CPN (MC) chairman Prachanda, Mayor of Pacharauta Municipality Jalandhar Singh Jaiswar, officer (7th) of Trade and Export Promotion Centre Gokul Wasti, chairman of Janamat Party Dr. Chandra Kanta Raut, chairman of Hamro Nepal Party Ananta Raj Ghimire and Badri Mainali, a candidate of House of Representatives (HoR) from Nuwakot-1.
The EC sought clarification based on the complaints and information received regarding the violation of Election Code of Conduct, 2022, said Bhattarai.
CPN (MC) chairman Prachanda was asked to furnish clarification for using Panche Baja while filing his nomination for the election of HoR.
Similarly, the EC has asked the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance to perform their work only in accordance with agreement reached between the commission and the ministries, he added.
Furthermore, the EC has asked Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the Ministry of Urban Development, Nepal Academy, Ministry of Finance, Securities Board of Nepal, Insurance Board and the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of Gandaki Province to furnish clarification for violating election code of conduct.
The EC has enforced the code of conduct since September 28. The code of conduct is for the Nepal government, ministers, province governments and ministers, constitutional bodies and office-bearers, government bodies at all three levels and the officials there, local executive and its members, employees at the federal, provincial and local levels, security bodies, security officials, semi-government and public offices and employees, political parties and their sister organisations and election candidates, among others.
Ballot papers under PR category dispatched to 18 districts
The Election Commission has dispatched ballot papers printed for proportional representation (PR) electoral system to 18 districts for the upcoming federal and provincial elections slated for November 20.
So far, the ballot papers have been transported to Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu, Udayapur, Saptari, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Taplejung, Panchthhar, Ilam, Jhapa, Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Morang and Sunsari districts.
The EC had already printed eight types of ballots for the proportional representation (PR) system before the FPTP nominations. The EC printed 46,005,000 ballot papers for the PR electoral system.
The printing of all 46,650,000 ballot papers for the proportional election system has been completed. Total 22.4 million ballot papers have been printed for the HoR under PR category and 21.8 million for the Provincial Assemblies.
EC said more ballots have been printed for HoR under PR category, as there would be temporary voters who will cast their votes for HoR election under PR category.
Total 170,000 ballot papers under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system have been printed till Saturday, the EC said.
Source : TRN,
