Apart from complaints received by the offices of chief returning officers and returning officers across the country, the Election Commission has received over 50 complaints related to violation of the election code of conduct. [break]
According to EC officials, cadres of some political parties are found attacking their rivals, obstructing vehicular movement, using caps and t-shirts with parties´ symbols and even distributing saris, sewing machines and bicycles to the voters.
Major political parties and their candidates have also been found exerting pressure on the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to distribute new transformers, electric cables and poles in a bid to influence the voters.
EC has already sought clarifications in writing from former prime minister and Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) Renu Dahal, who is also a daughter of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal Kamal Thapa and Sadbhavana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato for violating the election code of conduct.
Measures taken to check violations
The constitutional body has taken several measures to prevent incidents of poll code violation and to punish the violators. EC on October 26 formed a high-level panel headed by the chief election commissioner to take action against violators of election code of conduct.
Four election commissioners, who are members of the high-level committee, have been authorized to take on-the-spot action against those found guilty of breaching the poll code. Dolakh Bahadur Gurung has been authorized to oversee implementation of poll code in the Western Development Region, Ila Sharma in the Central Development Region, Ram Bhakta PB Thakur in Mid-western and Far-western Regions and Ayodhee Prasad Yadav in the Eastern Development Region.
EC on the same day decided to instruct chief district officers (CDOs) and district police chiefs through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) to stop anyone from breaching the code of conduct and take corrective measures if someone is found acting against the poll code and take action against the offenders as per the instruction from chief returning officers and returning officers.
Similarly, the commission on Sunday decided to deploy one more official each in 38 districts with more than three election constituencies in order to oversee issues related to election code.
Likewise, EC has begun mobilizing flying squads from Wednesday to inspect incidents of violation of the election code.
The commission formed a rapid response mechanism incorporating security personnel and EC staffers in order to discourage political parties and candidates violation of the election code of conduct.
The commission on Wednesday deployed three separate “flying squad teams” in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.
According to EC, there will be more than three such teams in the districts deemed vulnerable in terms of poll security. “These squads will act on the spot to correct, prevent and stop any breach of the election code,” said Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety. “They will also forward the cases to respective returning officers.”
Asked about the reasons behind poll code violations, former Chief Election Commissioner Surya Prasad Shrestha said, “On the one hand, the political parties and candidates are being defiant and on the other the concerned body has become seemingly toothless.” It is the political parties and candidates who must be abiding by the election code of conduct first, he added.
He also suggested that the commission needs to act tough against poll code violators. “EC has not punished anyone found guilty of breaching the poll code so far,” said Shrestha.
As per the election code of conduct, EC can fine up to Rs 100,000 and annual the candidacy of the candidate found violating the poll code. It can also disqualify them from contesting the polls for six years.
However, General Secretary of National Election Observation Committee (NEOC) Gopal Krishna Shiwakoti begs to differ. He argued that political parties took advantage of liberal approach of EC.
“The commission should not have amended the election code of conduct once it was implemented,” he added.
Relaxing its provision related to the use of helicopters in election campaigns, the commission on last Wednesday decided that senior central leaders of political parties, with consent of the commission, can use helicopters for election campaigns in areas not linked by roads.
The election code of conduct allows use of helicopters for poll campaigning in Solukhumbhu, Manang, Mustang, Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Bajhang, Bajura and Jajarkot districts.
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