The Election Commission on Monday sought clarification from Keshav Sthapit, the mayoral candidate of Kathmandu Metropolitan City from the CPN-UML, over his derogatory comments against a woman at a recent programme in Kathmandu.

“We have sought clarification from Keshav Sthapit after receiving complaints against him for the derogatory remarks he made at the programme,” said Guru Wagle, an officer at the Election Commission.

Sthapit on Thursday retorted with a scathing remark when a woman at the programme asked him about sexual harassment charges.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement in Nepal, Sthapit was accused of sexual harassment by at least two women.

At the programme, replying to the questions from the woman in the audience, Sthapit said: “You are a nice lady but your mouth is bad. Should I also publish a news article stating that you are engaged in prostitution?”

As many as 45 women’s rights groups on Saturday issued a statement calling Sthapit’s remarks objectionable and amounted to gender violence and demanded that his candidacy be scrapped.

“His statement is not only insensitive but also amounts to gender violence in itself,” the rights groups including Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) said in the joint statement.

The Election Commission has sought clarification from WOREC as well.

The commission has asked the centre to remove the statement.

“We just received a letter from the Election Commission seeking our clarifications regarding our press statement related to Keshav Sthapit,” said Renu Rajbhandari Adhikari, chairperson of WOREC. “Our statement underscores the importance of not having a man who engages in gender violence as the mayoral candidate of Kathmandu.”