Editorial
Political parties in campaign mode
Temper exuberance with sobriety
IT seems that the country's politics has come to life since the withdrawal of restrictions on political activity. And that is as it should be. It is good to see that the political parties and their candidates have started campaigning to wean voters to their cause and get their votes. What, however, has been rather disconcerting is the inclination to revert to the old ways inasmuch as they have started occupying public places for rallies and political meetings.
Pictures speak more than a thousand words. And there is no scope of not believing the photograph appearing in this paper the day before, of a big podium being erected by the 4-Party alliance for a public meeting, plunk in the middle of Shyamoli link road. There is no gainsaying the hardship such acts cause. Needless to say, the suffering lasts from the time the roads are brought under occupation for the setting up of the stage, till it is dismantled after the meeting.
What is rather disquieting is that such a gross violation of electoral rules, codified under the amended RPO, has not caught the eyes of anyone of those that are supposed to ensure that the provisions of the representative order were not violated, and that appropriate actions were taken against the violators. Even the law enforcing agencies who should be doubly alert during the lead up to the elections have failed to notice this.
Rules and regulations can only be implemented efficiently if all concerned chose to willingly abide by those. For the political parties and their candidates to disregard the code of conduct, which they have affirmed to uphold in their nomination papers, conveys a very poor opinion about both.
But this is not a matter of following the rules only. Even if such provisions did not exist, we would still have expected a display of a modicum of civic sense, and even more, sensitivity to public discomfort, by those that are seeking the mandate of the people to represent them in the parliament,.
It would need all concerned to ensure a peaceful run up to a fair and free election to which the EC and the political parties stand committed. While the EC must not fail to exercise its authority by ensuring that violators are dealt with promptly, it is equally important for the political parties to be obliged to play by the rules.
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