The main opposition CPN-UML has taken exception to the Election Commission provision requiring local elected representatives to resign before filing nomination for the upcoming election.
UML leaders have protested against the provision in the code of conduct prepared by the Election Commission questioning why chiefs of the local bodies should resign in a way that service delivery is affected when the prime minister (PM) need not resign before the general election.
"One may have to think about chances of abuse of authority while contesting in the election but would it be right to stop work citing that?" Deputy General Secretary of UML Bishnu Rimal said.
He has also drawn the Election Commission's attention toward the provision of the local level election act that requires local election to be held two months before the term of elected representatives expire to ensure that there is no obstruction in service delivery, and questioned why it has kept this new provision in the code of conduct against that spirit of the election act.
Deputy chief of the publicity department of the party Bishnu Rijal has also called the provision of code of conduct discriminatory, biased and comical comparing it with the provision for federal PM and ministers in the Cabinet.
"One may have to form a non-party government in this country to conduct election or hold one in absence of a government including PM and ministers. One should have considered this basic fact before taking such comical decision thinking that UML has the most local elected representatives and will again win in this election," he stated.
The code of conduct issued by the Election Commission states that any elected or nominated official who is receiving salary and other benefits for serving in any local body or another body owned by or under control of a local body or being run with grant from a local body must resign before filing nomination for the upcoming local election to be held on May 13.
