KATHMANDU, AUGUST 22
The CPN-UML has urged the Election Commission of Nepal to consider reducing the silence period during the upcoming House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections to 24 hours.
Furnishing a 37-point recommendation to the commission regarding the proposed Election Code of Conduct-2022 here today, the UML has appealed to the commission to reduce silence period to 24 hours against the existing 48 hours prior to the election.
During the election hour, election campaigning and solicitation of votes are prohibited. The UML in its recommendation said the commission could implement the Election Code of Conduct ensuring the impartiality, transparency and neutrality.
The recommendations include enforcing the Election Code of Conduct from the day of announcement of election to the day the election is held, removing the provision of limiting the number of people to 25 while going to registering the nomination for candidates and prohibiting mobilisation of children in the election with vested interest among others.
Furthermore, the same Code of Conduct for the election should be imposed on the employees and office-bearers in the private sector rather than imposing them separately, the local administration should be appraised about the rally, corner assembly, mass assembly and meetings related to election, shared the UML central publicity department secretary Gagan Bista.
The recommendation also includes formation of a special unit for close observation of the digital, online, print and audio-visual media.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 23, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
