Election Commission Intensifies Monitoring of Code of Conduct Violations in Published Materials

Kathmandu. The Election Commission has intensified monitoring of materials published and broadcast in violation of the election code of conduct. The Information Ethics Promotion Unit established under the Commission has studied harmful information and recommended action to the relevant bodies.

Commission Spokesperson Suman Ghimire informed that the unit has so far received 612 complaints regarding harmful information. According to him, the Commission has been corresponding with the relevant bodies to manage and remove the received complaints. He also informed that some materials have already been removed by those bodies. He stated that out of 336 materials requested to be removed from the Cyber Bureau under the Nepal Police, 129 materials have been removed.

Twelve websites publishing harmful information have been blocked. According to him, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, the body regulating websites, was requested to block 12 websites publishing content against the election code of conduct. He informed that the recommendation to block those sites was made because they published misleading and speculative information predicting election results.

According to him, 32 out of 74 complaints sent to the Press Council Nepal have had their materials removed. He also informed that the high-level committee monitoring the election code of conduct has sought clarification from various 90 individuals on charges of violating the code of conduct. He stated that the concerned individuals have submitted their clarifications within the deadline set by the Commission. He also informed that the monitoring committee formed at the district level is also operational.