Candidates of House of Representatives and provincial assemblies could spend Rs 2.5 million and 1.5 million respectively on campaigning

Kathmandu, October 13

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today said the government was committed to hold both provincial and the parliamentary elections on the stipulated dates.

Addressing an all-party meeting organised by the Election Commission at it central office in Kantipath, the PM asked the EC and political parties not to doubt the government’s commitment to hold elections.

PM Deuba, who is also the NC president, said that his party would fully abide by the election code of conduct and cooperate with the polls panel to make elections free, fair and impartial.

The PM also signed a commitment letter prepared by the EC saying the government would follow the election code of conduct.

CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli assured the EC that his party would not engage in any activity that would affect the scheduled elections. He said his party would submit its nomination list for the proportional category on time although that it would be difficult to finalise names before finalising the list of First-Past-the-Post candidates.

CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal said his party would support the EC, as it did in the local level elections. He hoped the government would provide every kind of help to the EC for holding elections.

Likewise, Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav drew the EC’s attention to the violation of election code by the government and ruling parties. “We asked the EC to prevent misuse of state machinery during elections,” Yadav said.

Senior NC leader Ramchandra Paudel said his party had expressed the commitment demanded by the EC. He said the NC believes in democracy, whose backbone is elections. “We expressed commitment to make elections free, fair and impartial,” said Paudel.

UML deputy parliamentary party leader Subas Chandra Nembang said all parties had agreed to hold elections on the stipulated dates and follow the election code of conduct.

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said high-level commitments were taken from the chiefs of political parties to make elections free, fair and impartial. He said the EC informed the political parties about its preparations and expected their commitment to ensuring that elections were successful.

Meanwhile, the EC said candidates of House of Representatives and provincial assemblies could spend Rs 2.5 million and 1.5 million respectively on campaigning, to which leaders of all political parties agreed. Political parties can spend RS 200,000 and Rs 150,000 on each candidate in the PR elections for the parliament and provincial assemblies respectively.

All political parties signed a commitment letter prepared by the election body saying they would follow the poll code.