KATHMANDU, May 10: The silence period is to commence from Tuesday midnight for the local election scheduled to take place on May 13. 

According to the Election Commission of Nepal, the silence period will begin 48 hours before the poll day and remain till the voting centers are closed. The Election Commission has said that voting arrangements have been made from 7.00AM to 5.00 PM on election day. 

As per the election code of conduct enforced by the EC, the publicity materials of any political party or candidate put up around a 300-meter perimeter of polling centers should be removed before the commencement of the silence period. The office-bearers and candidates of the political parties and sister-wings of the parties as well as the individuals concerned should abide by the election code of conduct during the silence period. 

EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel said that there would be no election publicity, debate, interaction, assembly, workshop/seminar during the electoral silence. Likewise, candidates and political parties are prohibited from soliciting votes from voters through any medium during the period. 

The code of conduct also prohibits the people and parties concerned from posting any message, information and publicity materials on social media, online, print and other medium in support of any political party and candidate. All publicity related activities will remain closed during the silence period and the EC has mobilized an 18-member team under the leadership of a Joint Secretary to monitor the situation. 

Likewise, there is a mechanism under the Chief Officer in the district for monitoring while a mechanism is placed under Returning Officer leadership at the municipal level. The EC can penalize those violating the election code of conduct up to Rs 100,000 during the silence period. Also, the EC has the authority to terminate the candidacy of the candidate in case of serious code violation, he shared.

 
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