KATHMANDU, 6 FEBRUARY- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stressed the need to make the March 5 House of Representatives elections human rights-friendly by strictly enforcing the election code of conduct.
The Commission said it has observed leaders and candidates using abusive and hateful language against opponents, along with the circulation of digital content undermining personal dignity, in violation of the code. It also noted breaches of voters’ right to secret ballot and privacy through inquiries about party preferences and the recording and sharing of videos and audio on social media.
Following discussions with election monitoring bodies on Thursday, the NHRC pointed out weak voter education and incidents of vandalism at political party offices.
In a press statement, the Commission urged all stakeholders to refrain from hate speech, misuse of social media and violent activities, to respect voters’ privacy, avoid misleading information, strengthen voter education, and ensure full compliance with the election code of conduct.