KATHMANDU: With just 15 days remaining until the elections to the House of Representatives (HoR), the Election Commission (EC) has urged all stakeholders to remain vigilant, warning that the misuse of technology could undermine the fairness of the polls.
The Commission called on political parties, mass media, and social media users not to disseminate false or misleading information and to play a constructive role in ensuring free and fair elections.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari specifically cautioned against sharing misleading content generated through artificial intelligence (AI) on social media. He also urged media outlets not to publish opinion polls or projections predicting election outcomes before voting takes place.
“Some recent practices involve predicting election results based on voters’ conversations before voting or making poll results public. The Commission has taken serious note of such activities,” he said.
The Commission warned that prematurely announcing or projecting results could influence voters’ free choice, violate the Election Code of Conduct, 2082 BS, discourage candidates, and disrupt the competitive environment.
While acknowledging that technological advancements have improved the flow of information, the Commission stressed that their misuse poses serious risks to electoral integrity. It reiterated that all stakeholders must strictly comply with the Election Code of Conduct and fulfill their responsibilities to ensure a dignified and credible election process.
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