Prohibition of using government instruments in election campaigning

KATHMANDU: The Election (First Amendment) Code of Conduct, 2079 forbids the use of government resources and means in election campaigning by Nepalese government or provincial government ministers or local executive officials.

Clause (a) of Section 5 of the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct requires the Government of Nepal, the State Government and Ministers of the State Government, and the local executive and officials to arrange the conduct to be followed during election campaigning in order to ensure that the election of members of the House of Representatives and Members of the State Assembly, which will be held on November 20, is clean, free, fair, and credible.

The minister who is a candidate in the election may participate in the election campaign in the area where he is a candidate, according to the revised code of conduct. The Commission’s spokesperson, Shaligram Sharma Poudel, stated that the use of government resources during such propaganda is prohibited by the code of conduct.

The Election Commission has directed government ministers through the Prime Minister’s Office and the Council of Ministers, as well as state government ministers through the Chief Minister’s Office and the Council of Ministers, to enforce and implement the regulations.

The Code of Conduct states that the Minister of the Government of Nepal may participate in the election campaign work of the relevant political party in areas where the Commission has granted consent, and the Minister of the State Government may participate in the election campaign work of the political party in areas where the Commission has granted consent, either through the State Election Office or directly.

Local executive officials may participate in election campaigning for political parties at local levels other than the one in which they are elected.