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The Election Commission (EC) has stressed the need for an effective mechanism to regulate the challenges surfaced in the implementation of the election code of conduct in the wake of massive use of the information technology.

The first meeting of the Central Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee held on Monday underscored the need to devise a special mechanism to control issues such as misinformation, hate speech and fake information circulated through social media and digital platforms during elections.

The Central Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee is formed as per Clause 26 of Election Code of Conduct, 2082 BS. 

The meeting was presided over by EC Commissioner Sagun Shumsher JBR in the presence of Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari and Commissioner Dr Janaki Kumari Tuladhar, the EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said. 

The meeting discussed the coordination among the agencies, role of regulatory bodies and challenges in implementation, and various other issues relating to the effective implementation of the election code of conduct. 

On the occasion, the officials viewed that awareness-based, promotional, and punitive programs should be initiated simultaneously for effective implementation of the code of conduct.

Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari said that regulation of the social sites was imperative and the Commissioner should effectively mobilize all its mechanisms.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson paid a farewell call on Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

During the meeting held today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, matters related to various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

A total of Rs 133.5 million has been collected so far in a government fund established to restore physical properties damaged in arson and vandalism occurred during the September 8–9 Gen Z movement.

According to the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, Tanka Prasad Pandeya, as of this morning, Rs 133,565,000 has been deposited in the Fund.

Siddhartha Premier Insurance Limited today contributed Rs 10.1 million to the fund under its Institutional Social Responsibility initiative. 

Last week, insurance company MetLife Nepal deposited Rs 2.5 million, while earlier the Oriental Insurance had chipped in Rs 2 million.

The fund was established in the aftermath of the Gen Z movement, calling on the public, private sector, non-resident Nepalis, development partners, and donor agencies for their assistance. 

The government has also provided provisions allowing contributors to deduct or claim expenses while calculating their taxable income for the current fiscal year.

Anyone wishing to chip in the fund can deposit the amount in the Rastriya Banijya Bank account number 1960100102070004.

The Karnali Province has a total of 1, 037, 250 voters for the election to the House of Representatives (HoR) scheduled for March 5.

Information Officer of Karnali Province Election Office, Nandaram Chaulagain, said that the highest number of voters are in Surkhet district with 248,943. Similarly, Dolpa district has the lowest number of voters standing at 24,115.

Likewise, there are 162,449 voters in Salyan, 161,204 voters in Dailekh, 107,091 voters in Jajarkot, 106,660 in Rukum Paschim and 84,646 in Kalikot district.

The Office stated that the number of voters in Jumla is 71,739 and there are 36031 voters in Humla and 34,372 voters in Humla. 

According to Chaulagain, the province has 1,137 voting centres and 941 polling stations. 

There were 908,433 voters in the Karnali Province in the HoR elections held in 2079 BS.