Kathmandu, September 15

The Election Commission today gave 24 hours to candidates of the CPN-UML, the CPN-Maoist Centre and the RJP-N to come clean on charges of violating election code of conduct.

According to a press release issued by EC Spokesperson Nabaraj Dhakal, the poll panel sought  clarification from Krishna Poudel,  UML’s mayoral candidate for  Simara Sub-metropolitan City in   Bara district, for using caps, T-shirts, vests and towels bearing his party’s election symbol in an election rally.

The EC stated in its release that it had asked the UML candidate to give reasons why his   candidacy should not be cancelled.

The EC has also sought clarification from Binod Prasad Jaiswal, CPN-MC candidate for the chief of Parsauni Rural Municipality of Bara district.

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav-led monitoring team today caught Jaiswal organising a motorcycle rally with participants wearing caps, T-shirts and towels bearing his party’s election symbol.

The EC also directed Manoj Kumar Chaurasia, RJP-N candidate for the chief of Ward No 8 of Kalaiya Sub-metropolis of Bara district, to furnish clarification within 24 hours.

“State why your candidacy should not be cancelled for using loud speaker and large banners in the election campaign. Furnish clarification within 24 hours,” reads the letter issued to Chaurasiya.

Over 38,000 candidates are contesting for 6,627 posts of local levels in eight districts of Province 2.

The 136 local levels of Province 2 include one metropolitan city, three sub-metropolitan cities, 73 municipalities and 59 rural municipalities. As many as 2,166 polling stations and 3,578 polling centres have been set up for elections, according to the EC.

Apart from security personnel, 31,500 government employees would be mobilised in the election.

The EC said 2,664,950 eligible voters of eight districts — Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa — of Province 2 would elect their local level representatives in the third phase of local level elections.