Interim parliament today unanimously passed the Election Commission Bill, 2007 and Election (Crime and Punishment) Bill, 2007 paving the way for the EC to further proceed its work for holding constituent assembly polls.
The bills, which were earlier finalised by the parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC), were tabled before the House by Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula. SAC chairperson Amod Prasad Upadhaya presented SAC’s report on the bills at the first meeting of the House Monday.
Hirdaya Ram Thani, a member of the SAC, said the bills addressed only the political parties and not their sister wings. The EC Bill has authorised EC to fix ceiling on the expenditure of candidates. Any candidate spending above the ceiling will not only lose his candidacy but would also be disqualified for the polls for six years.
The Bill requires the candidates to submit details of their election expenses to the concerned election office within 35 days of the announcement of the election results.
EC has also been authorised to formulate code of conduct for political parties, media and government offices to ensure that the elections are free and fair. The EC can cancel the candidacy of any candidate found violating the code of conduct. The Bill prohibits the use of posters, wall paintings and banners other than pamphlets of the size and colour specified by the EC.
The Election (Crime and Punishment) Bill prohibits any activity that may pose threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and communal harmony.
The Bill authorises poll officer to arrest and detain anyone on charge of disrupting the poll process. The Bill prohibits non-Nepalis to cast vote and has stipulated fine up to Rs 50,000 or one-year sentence or both if any foreign citizen is found doing so. Political Party Bill and the Constituent Assembly Member Election Bill are under consideration of SAC.
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