By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 15: The Election Commission (EC) has recognised 79 political parties for the upcoming local level election scheduled for May 13.
Organising a regular press meet here on Monday, EC spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel said, “Out of 80 political parties, which applied for registration at the EC to contest the local poll, only 79 parties have been recognised by the EC.”

The EC did not recognise one political party as it did not meet the requirements set for the party registration, he said.
Spokesperson Poudel said the election code of conduct is being prepared for the local poll. “Discussions are underway with the Ministry of Law to finalise the code of conduct. It will come into effect following the EC’s decision.”

The code of conduct will be published in the Gazette, he added. Commenting on the complaints from the small parties regarding the election symbol, Poudel said the EC would take a decision on election symbol according to the prevailing laws.

Out of 79 political parties registered in the EC, only six which have got the status of national party after the 2017 general elections will get the same election symbol while remaining 73 will not have a uniform electoral symbol for their candidates.

The political parties which were unable to get the status of the national party have been lobbying and staging protest to revoke the provision of the election symbol, citing that this was discriminatory and an example of hegemony of the larger parties.

Poudel said that the commission had made arrangements for a mechanism to monitor the expenditures of the candidates vying for various posts in the local level poll.
The Election Commission has set the maximum expenditure limit of Rs. 750,000 for the candidates vying for the post of mayor and deputy mayor of metropolitan cities.
Similarly, the EC has fixed Rs. 550,000 expenditure limit for candidates of mayor and deputy mayor of the sub metropolitan cities, Rs. 450,000 and Rs. 350,000 for those vying for posts of chief and deputy chief of municipalities and rural municipalities.

The candidates of ward chair and members of metropolis, sub metropolitan cities, municipalities and rural municipalities can spend a maximum Rs 300,000, Rs. 250,000, Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 150,000 respectively.

The commission itself has cut some expenses as it believes that the election should not be costly, said Poudel.
Likewise, the EC has approved the Election Monitoring Directive, 2022, and the Local Level Election Operation Financial Management Procedure, 2022.
Similarly, Election Observation Directive, 2022 has also been approved and implemented, the EC informed.