Political parties including the main opposition CPN-UML have opposed the election code of conduct that prohibits the prime minister (PM) and ministers from campaigning outside their respective constituencies.
Leaders of ruling Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Center) and UML opposed the provision during the meeting of National Concern and Coordination Committee of National Assembly on Monday calling it undemocratic and demanded that the PM and ministers be allowed to campaign even outside their respective constituencies.
Deputy Parliamentary party leader of UML Subash Chandra Nembang told Setopati that the provision stops the PM and ministers from defending their work and go to the election with their future plans. “We have a clear stand that the PM should defend her work in the parliamentary election. Let’s not spend taxpayers’ money but how can one deny defense of one’s work?” he added.
Joint General Secretary of NC Badri Pandey concurred and pointed that the provision should be reconsidered now that the former speaker and chairman of the Constituent Assembly Nembang called the provision to be against the parliamentary system.
Senior Vice-chairman of Maoist Center Narayan Kaji Shrestha also demanded correction of the provision. “The political system is multi-party, leaders become ministers in that system. But one cannot say the ministers cannot campaign outside their constituency if they are candidate. This must be corrected,” Shrestha stated.
Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya defended the provision stating that it has been kept to stop misuse of treasury. “The Election Commission will strictly enforce the code of conduct the parties have endorsed,” he said.
He also added that the Election Commission may set different limits of expenses for candidates on the basis of different criteria including the number of voters and polling centers in the constituency.
The Election Commission in the last parliamentary election had set a limit of Rs 2.5 million for all House of Representatives (HoR) candidates.
