Nepal: Number of candidates opening bank accounts on rise

In Nepal, the number of candidates opening bank accounts for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) polls has gradually increased. The Election Commission (EC) has made a mandatory provision for candidates to open accounts in banks and financial institutions (BFIs) to keep records of the entire financial transactions of candidates for the election purpose. Approximately 671 candidates have submitted their bank accounts to the EC. 
As per the election laws, the political parties and candidates contesting the HoR elections scheduled for March 5 should spend their money only through the banking channel, a tool to ensure transparency in electoral spending. The Election Commission has already issued the ‘House of Representatives Members Election Publicity Bank Account Operation and Management Procedure, 2082 BS’. As per the procedure, every political party and election candidate is required to have a separate bank account to make expenditures for the election publicity campaign.Secretary at the EC, Krishna Bahadur Raut, said that some candidates from the remote districts including Kalikot have already submitted their bank account at the EC and expected the candidates from other districts to open and submit their bank account details.
Meanwhile, 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.