Kathmandu. According to the Election Commission, out of 3,406 first-past-the-post candidates contesting in the election to the House of Representatives scheduled for March 4, only 1,213 candidates have opened bank accounts so far.

Of the 68 political parties that took part in the elections, only nine have opened their accounts. The Nepali Congress, Rastriya Janamorcha, CPN (United), Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Nepal Nepali Party, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), Samyukta Nagarik Party, Miteri Party and Nepal Janata Protection Party have opened their account till date. Transparency in the financial assistance received by political parties and candidates in elections and as prescribed by the Election Law

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Assistant spokesperson of the commission, Kul Bahadur GC, said that arrangements have been made to open bank accounts for abiding by the expenditure limit and for effective monitoring.

As per the working procedure, all the political parties, candidates and independent candidates who have filed their candidacies for the proportional representation and first-past-the-post electoral system after being registered at the Election Commission for the purpose of the House of Representatives election have to receive financial assistance for the election publicity from the same account. According to this provision, the parties and candidates have opened their accounts.