Kathmandu, April 30

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has issued a circular to all district coordination offices, metropolitan cities, sub-metropolitan offices, municipalities and rural municipalities to keep their offices open tomorrow regardless of public holiday.

The circular read, “Though tomorrow (May 1) is a public holiday for International Labour Day, all local levels are requested to keep their offices open to register nomination of candidates for the first phase of local level elections slated for May 14.”

It said the decision was taken as per the directive of the Election Commission. The ministry has also directed the local levels to prohibit their employees from using Facebook, Youtube, Viber and Twitter for private purpose on the premises of the offices with effect from today itself.

Similarly, the MoFALD has directed the local levels not to sanction leave for their executives without prior approval of the ministry. The circular issued by Employee Administration and Internal Management Section of the MoFALD read, “It is notified that the executives shall not leave their place of work without prior approval of this ministry. In case of failure to abide by this order, their leave or deputation shall not be sanctioned.”

The executives have also been directed to inform the ministry about their attendance in the office where they are deputed. “The concerned district coordination committee shall send to the ministry the details of employees who fail to turn up at their office to ensure local bodies’ cooperation to the government in holding local level polls. Similarly, the local development officer shall mobilise section officers deputed to the DCOs,” said the circular.