Nepal: Silence period for local polls to begin from Tuesday midnight

Kathmandu: Campaigning for Nepal’s local body elections will end on Tuesday midnight as the Himalayan nation is set to hold polls for 753 local units on Friday.

This is the second local body election in the country under the new Constitution. Nepal held its last local elections in 2017.

As many as 35,221 representatives (mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, ward chairpersons, ward members) will be elected from the upcoming polls.

The Election Commission in a notice said that during the “silence period” commencing from Tuesday midnight polls campaigns in all forms, asking for votes, using social media platforms for election campaigns, persuading voters and publicity, publication of any news contents that intend to persuade voters and ask for votes or promote election campaigns are prohibited.

The EC has already asked the political parties and candidates to remove publicity materials kept within 300 metres of the polling stations.