Election code violated in Saptari

Rajbiraj, December 3

As the second phase of provincial and parliamentary polls draws close, incidents of violation of election code have gone up in Saptari.

Pamphlets, brochures, banners, among other publicity materials have been widely used at public places. The use of children in electioneering is also quite rampant. Election rallies have been held at schools and parties have exceeded the number of vehicles allowed for use during elections.

Election code of the conduct bars parties and their candidates from using children at political programmes, election rallies and workshops. Some parties and candidates, however, are using children. Going against the poll code, mikes and loud speakers are also being used.

Some candidates are learnt to have distributed cash to voters. Voters say that poll code violation incidents are higher in the rural parts than in city areas.

An aide to a party candidate said that people had asked for money when they reached the village to solicit votes saying that candidate who had reached earlier had given them some cash.

Exceeding the size fixed by the Election Commission, large size flags, banners, and posters have been used excessively.

Saptari CDO Bhagirath Pandey said that publicity materials put up at public places had been removed twice earlier and the process of removing them was on.

CDO Pandey claimed that Saptari was an exemplary district as far as compliance with the poll code was concerned. He claimed that the Election Commission had thanked them for their efforts in implementing the poll code of the conduct.

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