EC wants parties, candidates to fully comply with campaign silence

Published On: November 18, 2022 02:15 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Nov 18: The Election Commission (EC) has said the violation of the campaign silence period that has been enforced since midnight Thursday in view of the elections to the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies is punishable by laws.

The EC has directed all returning and monitoring officers to promptly respond to any case of the violation of the campaign silence period in accordance with the Election (Offense and Punishment) Act, 2073 BS, and inform it to the EC.

Section 24 (5) of the Act bans any election publicity campaign before 48 hours of the voting day, and the EC and returning and monitoring officers have the authority to fine up to Rs 25,000 in case of the breach of the provision, according to EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel.

The EC has written to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Press Council Nepal, reminding them of the provision to be followed 48 hours before Election Day until the completion of voting process. The ministry and council have been asked not to disseminate or broadcast any content relating to the activities of political parties or the candidates or the election publicity campaign.

The EC has urged all people not to carry out any activities related to election publicity i.e. gatherings, interactions, assemblies, workshops and seminars until vote count is complete.

Similarly, they have been asked not to upload, comment, tag, like and counter-comment on anything election related on social sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Any political campaign and publicity through social sites, and news websites have also been prohibited. The Advertisement Board has been asked to monitor the situation.

Wearing the clothes, logos, badges, T-shirts, jackets, shawls, caps, vests, facemasks, bags and stickers that would symbolically identify candidates and any political parties around polling centers has been banned. Security personnel deployed for the polls have been directed to take action against such activities, it has been said.