Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Although candidates and political parties are required to conduct their election expenses through separate bank accounts, only 671 out of 3,406 candidates have opened bank accounts for the purpose so far.
Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, the spokesperson for the Election Commission (EC), said only 671 out of 3,406 first-past-the-post (FPTP) candidates have opened bank accounts as of Sunday.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has said that conducting election expenses through the banking system will ensure transparency.
Speaking at a discussion with bankers at the Election Commission (EC) on Monday, Bhandari said candidates are not allowed to spend cash directly during elections. “The EC has introduced a separate directive to enforce this provision. Under the new arrangement, political parties and candidates are required to open separate bank accounts to manage election expenses,” he said. “It was not mandatory in the previous elections. However, from this year onward, all election-related expenses must be made through designated bank accounts.”
Bhandari said candidates are allowed to spend Rs 2.5 million to Rs 3.3 million depending on the geography. “We will monitor where the money from the bank accounts of candidates is spent. This provision has been introduced to ensure financial discipline,” he added.
Similarly, EC Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut said that while all candidates in remote districts such as Kalikot have already opened bank accounts, many candidates in accessible districts have yet to do so. “Since banks are present in all 753 local units, it should not be difficult for candidates to open an account,” Raut said. “Candidates must use bank accounts to receive and spend amounts exceeding Rs 25,000.”
Also speaking on the occasion, Santosh Koirala, president of the Nepal Bankers’ Association (NBA), said some candidates have not been able to open accounts due to the lack of national identity cards. “The EC must clarify the mechanism through which parties and candidates will incur election expenses,” he added.
