EC to monitor implementation of code of conduct

The Election Commission (EC) has activated its mechanism to monitor the implementation of the election code of conduct during the silence period of local level elections taking place tomorrow, Friday.

The election code of conduct has been in force since April 8 and it is further intensified during the silence period beginning 48 hours before the voting day.

The EC on April 11 sought a 24-hour clarification with CPN (UML)’s deputy general secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung and CPN (Maoist Center) Bagmati province committee member Ganga Dahal for violating the code of conduct during the silence period. The two were charged with seeking votes for candidates of their favor during this period.

The EC has structures at various levels to check the possibility of the breach of the code of conduct by political parties, election candidates, and other parties. There is a committee under the coordination of the Election Officer to monitor the implementation of the code of conduct at the local level. A central code of conduct monitoring committee functions under the coordination of a commissioner who looks after EC monitoring affairs. The district code of conduct monitoring committee works under the coordination of the District Chief Election Officer. Assistant election officer has been designated as a monitoring officer.

Besides these structures, 17 special monitoring committees have been deputed in those districts and local levels considered especially sensitive areas given the election.

 The team shall intervene immediately if any political party or election candidate is found violating the code of conduct. It may be the display of the party flag, use of vehicles, transportation of unauthorized goods, or distribution of money. It will promptly inform the EC if it encounters any issue in course of monitoring.

The EC, since the enforcement of the code of conduct, has sought around 100 clarifications from top leaders of various parties, chief ministers, candidates, government officials, journalists' organizations, and the media.

Among those, attention has been drawn to some while reprimand given to others. According to him, monitoring and investigation continue.

The Election Commission has formed the Central Monitoring Committee under the convenorship of Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari who looks after the monitoring affairs at the EC.

Commissioner Bhandari said that so far the EC has received complaints regarding the election candidates making hate speech, the media and journalists violating the code of conduct, use of children for the election campaign, monetary enticement to the voters, and some government employees taking the side of some party, among others.