Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the schedule for the upcoming House of Representatives election will not be changed.
Speaking to journalists at the EC office in Kathmandu on Monday, Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari said that the election schedule will not change and nominations will be filed as scheduled on Tuesday.
Bhandari’s comment has dismissed rumors that the EC was pushing the day for filing candidate nominations by a week, given the internal disputes within the Nepali Congress. The Supreme Court is hearing the writ petition filed by the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led faction of Nepali Congress challenging the EC’s decision to recognize the new Central Working Committee elected by the Special General Convention organized by a rival faction.
“After a long preparation, the time to submit nomination papers has finally come. All arrangements for the nomination process have already been made,” he added.
Political parties have started picking candidates for all 165 constituencies for the first-past-the-post voting. Official candidates of the political parties are required to submit their nominations within the time slot provided by the EC.
Bhandari reminded that the election code of conduct is in effect and that all activities are being carried out according to the schedule published four months ago. “I am confident that the election would be held in a clean, independent, fair, and fear-free environment on the scheduled date,” he added.
