Majority of parties in breach of EC rules

KATHMANDU, JAN 17 -
More than 95 percent of the registered political parties, including the second largest CPN-UML, have shown a ‘willful and wanton disregard’ for the deadline to submit a statement of income and expenditure to the Election Commission ( EC ).

Records at the EC show only five of the total 119 parties have submitted their annual financial report to the election body within the deadline.

The Party Registration Act has it that the parties registered at the EC must submit a statement of annual income and expenditure within six months from the closing of each fiscal year.

Officials at the EC said that the defaulting parties, except for a few, have neither requested to extend the deadline to submit their financial details nor communicated about the problem, if any.

“Only six parties have requested for a deadline extension citing technical reasons. Sadly, we have not heard anything from over 90 percent of the parties that missed the deadline,” said Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav. “This is apparently a willful and wanton disregard for the electoral law. The EC will take appropriate action.”  The EC said six more parties had sought more time to prepare their financial details while the other parties blatantly violated the electoral law.

The largest party of the new CA, Nepali Congress (NC), the UCPN (Maoist) and three others—the CPN (Unified), the Federal Socialist Party Nepal and the CPN-ML—have so far submitted their financial details.

NC’s reported an income of Rs 8.43 million and expenditure of Rs 15.06 million for the fiscal year 2069/2070. The UCPN (Maoist) report shows an income of Rs 76.27 million and expenditure of Rs 77.39 million. Both the parties have mentioned that voluntary donation, levy, supports from party cadres residing outside the country and membership fees as their sources of income. They spent the money in running party’s regular activities, such as campaigning, office operation and party cadres mobilisation.

CPN-UML, the second largest party, however, has not submitted its details and sought more time till mid-March. Similarly, the Tarai Madhes Sadbhawana Party, the Shanti Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal have also sought an extension to the deadline.

Before taking any action against the defiant parties, the EC is preparing to allow them an additional time. “If they fail to submit their financial reports by the extended deadline, we will take action against them,” said Yadav. International

surveys carried out in

Nepal show parties’ income sources always remain top secret. A Global Corruption Barometer 2013 had named Nepal’s political parties as the most corrupt institution.

As wellas publishing the lists of compliant and defiant parties, the EC is also set to make public the income and expenditure details submitted by the parties. The EC has been constitutionally mandated to take action against parties breaching the electoral laws. The penalty ranges from fine to cancellation of registration.

balance sheet

 More than 95 percent of the registered parties, including UML, are yet to submit financial details

 Only five of the total 119 parties submitted their reports within the deadline

 Only six of the defaulting parties, including UML, have requested EC for deadline extension

 NC's reported an income of Rs 8.43 million and expenditure of Rs 15.06 million in the fiscal year 2069-70. UCPN (M) collected Rs 76.27 million and spent Rs 77.39 million

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