KATHMANDU: The silence period for the second round of local level polls will come into effect from midnight on Sunday.

The second phase of  local level elections is scheduled to take place in Province 1, 5 and 7 on Wednesday, June 28.  The period comes into effect for 48 hours prior to the polling day.

Issuing a press statement today itself, the Election Commission informed the stakeholders that the silence period will come into force after 12:00 am, Sunday night in accordance with the Local Level Election Act, 2017.

The Article 69 (1) of the Act prohibits the electioneering in the area where the election is going to be held, until the polling is over, reads the statement.

The EC has also called for refraining from launching campaign through the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, adding, if anyone is caught doing so, authorities concerned are urged to enforce the silence period promptly.

Breaking the rules of Silence Period- the violation of the election code of conduct- is punishable and any political party, organisation, candidate or person carrying out the publicity campaign in one way or the other will be punished under the Election Commission Act 2017.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has also started distributing voter identity cards in 35 districts of the provinces where the elections are taking place.

A total of 64,32,765 eligible voters will be distributed the identity cards from the 4,581 voting centres on June 25, 26 and 27, said the EC.