RAUTAHAT, Sept 15: With the third phase of the local elections just three days away, Rautahat district is seeing rampant breach of the election code of conduct. Among other things, almost all parties are using children in their election campaigns. Local authorities however said they are doing their best to stop the use of children.

School-age children are forced to carry party flags and chant slogans. 

Around 4,500 candidates, both from parties and independently, are vying for various posts of the district's 16 municipalities and two rural municipalities. They have been using loud music, vehicles, and children to draw voter attention toward their campaign. Children are forced to wear t-shirts of political parties and chant their slogans, and do others' bidding as instructed.

However, concerned authorities appear mum on the issue. They have neither monitored, nor intervened, due to which such incidents are increasing on a daily basis, said Lalindar Thakur, a local entrepreneur.

Likewise, the election code bars political parties from pasting posters and pamphlets on the walls of schools, at cultural heritage sites as well as public and government buildings. But not party appears to be respecting this rule.

Similarly, the code mentions that one candidate cannot use more than two vehicles for election campaign, but this rule has been widely ignored. Rajan Srivastav, the chief of the District Election Office, claimed that they have not received any complaint about the misuse of vehicles while Chief District Officer Uddhav Bahadur Thapa said that his office has instructed the police to prevent such misuse.

 
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