KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 11

The Election Commission has taken a six-point decision offering parties guidelines for publishing and disseminating their election publicity materials for the purpose of the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies slated for November 20.

EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel said political parties and the candidates could carry out election canvassing on online media registered with the Department of Information and Broadcasting and listed in the Press Council Nepal, remaining under the Election Code of Conduct, 2022.

Political parties and candidates will be allowed to disseminate visual materials related to election campaigning through online media for a maximum of one minute.

Similarly, the political parties can disseminate election publicity materials on the private sector online media by means of 'roadblock', content block, homepage, banner, detailed page banner and box advertisement.

However, it should be indicated on the election publicity material that it is paid advertisement.

The election publicity material disseminated in this way should not include in it any content that is defamatory to anyone, fake information, mis/disinformation and hate speech. If this type of content is found in the election publicity material, it would be considered violation of the Election Code of Conduct.

The code of conduct also bars the dissemination of their election publicity materials by parties and candidates on foreign online media.

The political parties and candidates are required to submit to the EC the details of the expenditure while disseminating the election publicity materials through online media including it in their election expenses details.

Meanwhile, the EC has issued directives for making the polling stations inclusive and disabled-friendly. It has directed the chief election officer, the election officers, polling officers and all employees deputed to conduct the election in that connection.

The EC has emphasised the strict adherence to the 'Gender and Inclusion Policy in Election Management, 2020' and the 'House of Representatives and Province Assembly Member Election (Voting) Guidelines, 2022'.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 12, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.