Silence period for phase II poll commencing tonight

KATHMANDU: The silence period for the second phase of the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies commencing from the midnight today, the Election Commission (EC) said. The twin elections are taking place in 45 districts on Thursday, December 7.

Election publicity campaign or soliciting voters shall not be allowed once the silence period begins, said EC spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal.

All sorts of election publicity campaign have been prohibited in this special period. No political party, election candidate, civil society and voter shall be allowed to get involved in the election publicity campaign, Dhakal added.

Likewise, mass media are not allowed to publish and air any material in favour or against any political party or candidate, conduct a poll survey and publish its findings.

The EC has urged all to abide by the election code of conduct during the silence period.

Likewise, in this time given for voters to decide to whom they vote for, no votes nor election campaign shall be solicited or conducted through social media network with the use of electronic means such as SMS, facebook, twitter and viber.

Symbolic materials such as clothes, cap, sticker, logo bag and tattoos that contain the election symbol of any candidate or political party shall not be allowed or cause to be allowed to use, sell or display in this period which requires the removal of respective election symbols and election campaign materials placed within the periphery of 300 meters of the polling centers before it comes into force.

However, there is no restriction to publish and disseminate voter education materials, information or message issued by the EC in this period.