Only 1,670 of 3,406 Candidates Open Bank Accounts for House of Representatives Election

The Election Commission has stated that out of 3,406 direct candidates who registered for the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21, only 1,670 candidates have opened bank accounts.

Similarly, only 11 out of the 65 parties participating in the election have opened accounts. The parties that have opened accounts so far include Nepali Congress, Rastriya Janamorcha, CPN (United), Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), Nepal Ka Lagi Nepali Party, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), Sanyukta Nagarik Party, Miteri Party, Nepal Janata Sanrakshan Party, Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party, and Rastriya Janamukti Party, informed Commission's Assistant Spokesperson Sita Pun Shrestha.  

The provision for opening bank accounts has been made to ensure transparency in the financial assistance received by political parties and candidates in the election, compliance with the expenditure limit set by election law, and effective monitoring.

According to the House of Representatives Election Publicity Bank Account (Operation and Management) Procedure, 2082, all political parties registered with the commission for the purpose of participating in the election, candidates for proportional representation and first-past-the-post electoral systems, and independent candidates have been arranged to open accounts for election publicity as per the procedure. It has been stipulated that income and expenditure transactions, including financial assistance received, must be conducted through the same account.