KATHMANDU: The major opposition party CPN (UML) has urged the Election Commission of Nepal to consider reducing the silence hour during the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) and Provincial Assembly election to 24 hours.

Furnishing 37-points recommendation to the EC regarding proposed Election Code of Conduct-2079 BS in Kathmandu on Monday, the UML has appealed with the EC to reduce silence hour to 24 hours against the existing 48 hours prior to the election.

During the election hour, election campaigning and solicitation of votes are prohibited.

The UML, in its recommendation, said that the EC could implement the Election Code of Conduct ensuring the impartiality, transparency and neutrality among others aspects.

The recommendations include enforcing the Election Code of Conduct from the day of announcement of election to the day of election is held, removing the provision of limiting the number of people to 25 while going to registering the nomination for the candidates and prohibiting mobilization of children in the election with vested interest among others.

Furthermore, the same Code of Conduct for the election should be imposed on the employees and office-bearers in private sector rather than imposing separately, the local administration should be appraised about the rally, corner assembly, mass assembly and meetings related to election, shared UML’s central publicity department secretary Gagan Bista.

The Election Commission should be informed about the main preacher and should not limit the number of main preachers for the election, the UML suggested.

Moreover, the Election Officer should be made coordinator of the District Election Code of Conduct, the media house and related employees or journalists should maintain balance and proportionality rather than favoring or disfavoring specific political parties or candidates and running news on them.

The recommendation also includes formation of a special unit for close observation of the digital, online, print and audiovisual media.