The Election Code of Conduct Central Monitoring Committee has directed Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Kamal Thapa to furnish clarification for canvassing votes for his party by violating the election code of conduct in the silence period.

The silence period for the first phase of Federal Parliamentary and Provincial Assembly elections slated to be held in 32 mountain and upper-hill districts on November 26 (Sunday) has come into effect starting Thursday midnight.

DPM Thapa took to twitter urging people to vote for his party in the elections. After finding Thapa’s twitter post breaching the election code, the EC decided to seek clarification from Thapa.

"DPM Thapa's act contradicts with Section 5.4.1 of Election Code of Conduct, 2072. Therefore, DPM Thapa has been asked to furnish a clarification within 24 hours of issuance of this order," reads a statement issued by the EC.

Later in the day, DPM Thapa posted a tweet saying he deleted all previous election-related tweets and expressed his commitment to comply with the election code of conduct.

निर्वाचन आयोगले ध्यान आकर्षित गराएको हुंदा आज बिहान मैले गरेको चुनाव केन्द्रित ट्विटहरु डिलिट गरेको छु। निर्वाचन आचारसंहिताको पालनामा म पुर्ण प्रतिबद्ध छु।

— Kamal Thapa (@KTnepal) November 24, 2017