Election Commission Bans Campaigning Ahead of Thursday's House of Representatives Vote

The Election Commission has announced that political parties will not be allowed to campaign for the House of Representatives election scheduled for Thursday starting from 12:00 AM tonight.

Commission's Assistant Spokesperson Kul Bahadur GC informed that since the Commission has designated a campaign prohibition period starting 48 hours before the voting day until the polling stations close on the voting day, soliciting votes through campaigning will be prohibited after 12:00 AM tonight. The specific conduct that candidates, political parties, and related individuals must adhere to during the campaign prohibition period is mentioned in the Election Code of Conduct, 2082.

Political parties have been campaigning and soliciting votes for the election since Falgun 4. This process will continue until 12:00 AM tonight. Thereafter, a period of peace or prohibition will be mandatory to allow voters the opportunity to make their decisions freely according to their conscience, and this is expected to help promote fair competition.

Today, the last day for parties to campaign coincides with the Fagu Purnima festival in the Himalayan and Hilly districts, meaning election campaigning is taking place alongside the festival. Parties and candidates participating in the election are campaigning today. No soliciting of votes through campaigning will be permitted during the campaign prohibition period starting at 12:00 AM tonight. During this period, activities related to election campaigning, including political advertisements, campaigning on social media, and transmitting any kind of message, are prohibited. There is also a provision that all campaign materials of political parties or candidates placed within 300 meters of the polling station must be removed 48 hours before the voting day, which is tonight at 12:00 AM.

Similarly, it is prohibited to post or share, or cause to be posted or shared, any message, information, or promotional material in favor of or against a political party or candidate through social media, online, print, or any other electronic medium. The Election Code of Conduct, 2082, also states that no one should obstruct voters or individuals or staff engaged in voting work at the polling station from the time voting commences until three hours after voting concludes.

Assistant Spokesperson GC stated that the honest observance and implementation of the Code of Conduct is expected to help prepare conscious voters and promote the integrity of the election. The Commission has stated that all necessary preparations for the operation, supervision, direction, control, coordination, and overall management of the election, in accordance with the rights granted by the Constitution, have reached the final stage.