Prakash Kafle/ Kathmandu.The campaign period for political parties and candidates contesting the upcoming House of Representatives election will end at midnight tonight.The Election Commission had allowed parties and candidates to conduct election campaigning from Falgun 4 until 12:00 midnight today.
In accordance with electoral laws, a 48-hour silence period will take effect before voting begins and will remain in place until polling concludes. During this period, all forms of campaigning and activities intended to influence voters are strictly prohibited. These include speeches, public gatherings, discussions, reviews, and any other election-related promotional efforts. The Commission has also banned vote solicitation, social media posts seeking votes, and movement aimed at influencing the election during the silence period. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari said that if financial transactions designed to influence the election are detected during the silence period, the candidate’s nomination will be cancelled. He added that the individual could also be barred from participating in any election process for up to six years.
The Commission has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards any activity that seeks to influence voters during this time. Officials say the silence period is intended to provide voters with an opportunity to make independent and informed decisions in a free and fair environment. Election authorities will use this period to make final logistical preparations, including setting up polling stations, managing voter queues, and assessing security arrangements. In many countries, silence periods range from 24 to 72 hours.
According to the election code of conduct, candidates and political parties must adhere to strict guidelines during the silence period. All campaign materials and election symbols displayed within 300 metres of polling stations must be removed before the silence period begins. The use of electronic means such as SMS, Facebook, and Viber to seek votes or conduct campaign activities is prohibited. Media outlets are also barred from publishing or broadcasting content that promotes any candidate or political party during this time.
The election, scheduled for Thursday, will be conducted under both the first-past-the-post (direct) and proportional representation systems. Under the direct system, 65 political parties are competing using 61 election symbols. A total of 3,406 candidates — including 3,017 men, 388 women, and one other — are contesting in 165 constituencies.Under the proportional representation system, 3,135 candidates — 1,363 men and 1,772 women — are competing for 110 seats.
