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Most political parties participating in the local level by-election in the district have violated the election code of conduct. INSEC’s monitoring revealed that most political parties in Gadhi Rural Municipality-6 are conducting election campaigns in violation of the Election Code of Conduct 2022 for the by-election scheduled for 1 December, 2024. Candidates from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), Rashtriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janamat Party, and People’s Freedom Party have displayed campaign materials like party flags, election symbols, and archways on private homes, public buildings, ward gates, and telephone poles, violating the election code of conduct. Despite the ban on using microphones, loudspeakers, and sound-producing devices outside the designated venues for public meetings during the election, they have used loud DJ music on three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles to solicit votes. Additionally, they have participated in house-to-house campaigns with processions of more than 25 people for propaganda.

The office of the Chief Election Officer discussed on 23 November where political parties and independent candidates running for election committed to follow the election code of conduct in writing. Chief Election Officer Mukesh Upadhyaya informed that all parties and candidates pledged to fully comply with the code until the vote counting period. District Election Officer Krishna Prasad Poudel stated that after receiving complaints about increasing violations of the code during the by-election in the district’s only ward, a multi-party discussion was held, and all parties agreed to fully adhere to the code. However, the parties have been violating the election code of conduct. Meghraj Neupane, Chairperson of the NGO Federation in Sunsari, said that parties must take responsibility for ensuring a fair and fraud-free election, and the Election Commission and code of conduct monitors should enforce the rules.

Jayakrishna Yadav