Nepal is now well and truly gearing up for the March 5 election. Just as in previous elections, the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday enforced the Election Code of Conduct. The goal is to make the election ‘free, fair and transparent’. But no sooner had the candidates entered the election race, they set aside the very code they had committed to honour.

Take the nomination day. Even as the electoral watchdog bars candidates from gathering more than 25 people while filing their nominations, candidates were seen with hundreds of supporters, musical ensembles and even children. This happened when former prime minister and CPN-UML chair, KP Sharma Oli, registered his candidacy from Jhapa-5. Even the so-called alternative forces were no different. Balendra Shah, senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Oli’s tough competitor, was escorted by people in multiple vehicles as he filed his nomination. Many other candidates have also been found to have violated the EC’s directive, including Pushpa Kamal Dahal, coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party. Likewise, even though Section 5 (a) of the Election Code of Conduct, 2026, prohibits chief ministers and other provincial ministers from engaging in election campaigning or nomination processes, Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki allegedly participated in Oli’s nomination process.

Non-compliance with the election code of conduct has long been the norm. Yet the EC’s lax monitoring, failure to enforce the codes and its bias towards big parties and high-profile individuals have exacerbated the problem. As per the code of conduct, violators may face fines up to Rs100,000. It may even lead to the cancellation of their candidacies. They could also be barred from contesting for office for up to six years. Yet many violation cases end up in a simple clarification request from the EC, followed by a refusal from candidates. Most recently, many videos of the code of conduct violation have circulated on social media, but rather than take immediate action, the EC is waiting for formal complaints about the flamboyance on the nomination day and has sought clarification only from the Koshi Province chief minister. The EC’s inaction will only embolden violators.

Such cases of violation will increase during the election campaign window (February 16 to March 2) if the commission does not step up its vigil—say over distribution of money and gifts to woo voters—and hold the offending candidates accountable. Additionally, in previous elections, candidates were found to have flouted the election code of conduct using social media and information technology, which also poses a threat to this year’s election. These actions warrant quick action.

Election-time shenanigans undermine the democratic process and electoral norms. They also raise troubling questions about the candidates’ moral integrity: What can voters expect from those who undermine the very foundations of fair elections? While the code of conduct applies to everyone, including candidates, voters, government officials, media, private and non-governmental organisations, the onus of adhering to the code rests mostly with the candidates.