KATHMANDU: With 58 days remaining until the House of Representatives (HoR) election, emphasis has been placed on strengthening mechanisms to ensure effective enforcement of the election code of conduct, particularly to address challenges arising from the misuse of information technology.
The first meeting of the Central Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee stressed the need to establish a special mechanism to curb the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and misleading content on social media and other digital platforms during the election period. The committee was formed in accordance with Section 26 of the Election Code of Conduct, 2082.
The meeting, coordinated by Election Commissioner Sagun Shumsher Rana, was attended by Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari, Commissioner Dr. Janaki Kumari Tuladhar, and other committee members, according to Commission Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai.
Discussions focused on inter-agency coordination for effective enforcement of the code of conduct, the role of regulatory bodies under existing laws, implementation challenges, and control mechanisms. Participants emphasized the need to simultaneously adopt awareness-raising, promotional, and punitive measures to ensure compliance.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari underscored the importance of regulating social media, stating that the Commission must fully utilize all available mechanisms. He stressed that cooperation with regulatory authorities, investigation agencies, and prosecution bodies, along with effective safeguards against the misuse of technology, is essential for enforcing the code of conduct.
Commissioner Dr. Tuladhar said the code of conduct would be implemented in consultation with political parties and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to curbing the spread of misinformation and disinformation during the election period.
Rana, who also serves as the committee’s coordinator, expressed confidence that shortcomings observed in previous elections would be addressed and that qualitative improvements would be achieved in enforcing the code of conduct this time. He reiterated that collaboration with all stakeholders is essential to counter challenges arising from the misuse of information technology and to ensure a free, fair, and credible election.
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