Kathmandu, April 7
The main opposition CPN-UML has objected to six points of the local elections code of conduct issued by the Election Commission.
The party’s General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel and his deputy Bishnu Rimal went to the commission office on Thursday afternoon and handed over a letter that expresses the party’s concerns.
Earlier, the biggest political party in the federal parliament had refused to sign the code of conduct as demanded by the commission.
Here are six points of the code of conduct that the CPN-UML wants the commission to revise:
- People are barred from posting election-related content except those prepared by the commission for voter education on their social media accounts.
- Existing executive officials at any level of the government are barred from electioneering except in their own constituencies.
- People working for NGOs and private companies are barred from electioneering using electronic mediums.
- Candidates are barred from using their election symbols and their parties’ flags anywhere including on websites except at their offices.
- Existing government officials have to resign before filing their candidacy. (The Supreme Court has ordered the commission not to implement this provision until the final verdict on the case.)
- Parties are barred from making any disputes about the decisions made by voting officers.
The party argues these provisions have violated fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.
