CEC Thapaliya directs to adhere to election code of conduct

KATHMANDU: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has directed a strict adherence to the election code of conduct, 2079.

Complaints in writing or verbal about the violation of the code of conduct should be filed with the EC, he said at a meeting of the district election code of conduct monitoring committee here in Pokhara today.

Thapaliya asked the district code of conduct monitoring officers to seek clarification within 24 hours from the election candidates if they were found breaching the code of conduct.

Stating that the EC has right to annul candidacy of the candidates in question, whose clarification regarding the violation of the code of conduct is not satisfactory, he directed the officers to write to the EC specifying details about the matter.

According to the Clause 46 of the Election Code of Conduct, 2079, violating the election code of conduct is punishable by Rs 100,000 in fine each and cancellation of candidacy of a poll candidate as per the Clause 23 of the Election Commission Act, 2073.

The meeting chaired by Chief Returning Officer, Kaski district Prakash Kharel was attended by also Chief District Officer and the district code of conduct monitoring committee co-coordinator Tek Bahadur KC, committee member Superintendent of Police Ajaya KC, Assistant Investigation Director Manoj Dhakal, monitoring officer Ramji Sharma and member secretary Hum Nath Parajuli.

They apprised the meeting of activities related to the implementation of the poll code of conduct.