KATHMANDU, Dec 2: Nepali Congress has issued formal guidelines for nominating candidates in its provincial, district, and parliamentary committees ahead of the upcoming elections.
The National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 25, followed by the House of Representatives polls on March 5 next year.
The party has instructed its lower-tier bodies to submit names of aspiring candidates for endorsement. Individuals found guilty of ethnic discrimination, domestic violence, child labor, or other social offenses will be deemed ineligible to contest under the party banner.
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Additionally, those elected through the proportional representation system in the 2022 elections—for either the House of Representatives or provincial assemblies—will not be eligible for proportional representation candidacy in the upcoming HoR election, as per Article 33(2) of the party statute. Names listed in the 2022 proportional representation closed list for provincial assemblies are also excluded from being recommended as candidates in the parliamentary polls.
Other directives include only the prescribed number of candidates may be recommended; additional names are not allowed; a person can be recommended for only one position among direct, proportional, or National Assembly seats; proportional representation candidates must also submit a commitment letter from the party center, a self-declaration form prescribed by the Election Commission, personal details, and a signed asset declaration form.
Similarly, for House of Representatives candidates, copies of citizenship and voter ID cards are required. Individuals elected in the 2022 local elections under the party banner are ineligible for candidacy, the NC guidelines state.
Meanwhile, active party members and office-bearers must submit mandatory party levies as stipulated under Article 69 of the party statute. Non-payment renders them ineligible for any level of election.
The party maintained that these measures aim to ensure transparent and socially responsible representation in the upcoming polls.
