Election Commission Releases Draft Code of Conduct for 2082 House of Representatives Election

Kathmandu: The Election Commission has made public the draft of the Election Code of Conduct–2082 for consultation and suggestions, aiming to ensure a free, fair, and fearless election for the House of Representatives–2082.

The draft, issued ahead of the upcoming election on Falgun 21, includes provisions to make public the names of individuals or organizations that violate the code of conduct, and allows monitoring and action through electronic means and information technology.

According to the Election Commission, the draft code has been prepared to make the election process independent, transparent, cost-effective, and fair. Under Section 22 of the Election Commission Act, 2073, the commission has exercised its authority to collect suggestions from stakeholders by publishing the draft.

The draft code of conduct contains 10 chapters and five schedules. The Commission clarified that with the implementation of the new code, the previous Election Code of Conduct–2079 will be automatically repealed.

The code also requires political parties and candidates to publicly release their election manifestos. The Commission believes this will promote policy-based competition in elections and help voters make informed decisions.