Kathmandu, March 11, 2008

The Election Commission today urged cabinet ministers to respect the code of conduct and called on the seven-party alliance to create all party mechanisms for ensuring an impartial election.

During a meeting attended by more than 10 ministers this morning, Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel cautioned political parties and their candidates — cabinet ministers in particular — against using the state privileges for political campaigns. Pokhrel said employing privileges and entitlements that come with the position of power while campaigning would amount to violation of the election code of conduct. “If the code is violated we will be forced to act according to the election laws,” he warned.

According to the election laws, the commission can impose a fine of up to Rs 100,000 against the violators and even go to the extent of cancelling their candidature.

“The parties ought to create joint mechanisms comprising representatives from all political parties, not just from the seven-party alliances,” he added.

CEC’s call to respect the spirit of the codes stirred sense of unease among the ministers, many of who are running for the Constituent Assembly election due on April 10.

The ministers urged the CEC to relax the code and review the EC’s decision to mobilise secretaries to monitor the election but Pokhrel rejected their plea outright. For the commission to be able to hold an impartial election, the government should adhere to the code of conduct, said Pokhrel, flanked by all election commissioners and senior EC officials.

Tarai rebel feels heat of police crackdown

Inaruwa, March 11, 2008

It seemed like a simple question: “How do your children feel about your underground life?” But when this scribe posed to to Sanket, the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha Goit faction’s incharge for Sunsari and Morang, tears trickled down his weather beaten face.

“Do not ask me, I cannot express it in words,” the 39-year old outfit leader said. He had agreed to talk to this correspondent at a secret location, convinced that it posed no harm.

JTMM (Goit) is one of the several armed groups in the Tarai demanding a separate state. They are considered to be one of the major threats to the CA polls. The outfit leaders believe that the CA polls are meaningless for the Madhesi people. “If the government is determined to conduct the polls, we are hell bent on disrupting the same,” he warned.

“The government won’t meet our demands that easily. Our struggle is difficult,” Sanket said. He blamed the government for not showing seriousness in bringing them into mainstream politics.

“We are not against dialogue,” he said. “But neither the government nor the Madhesi parties have officially approached us,” Sanket, who holds a Master’s degree in political science, said.