The Election Commission has rolled back its direction to the Nepali-language news portal Setopati to take down a news report within 24 hours.

Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari on Saturday had directed the news portal to delete a news article related to former Law Minister Agni Prasad Kharel’s son.

On Friday, Setopati carried out a news article stating that Kharel’s son, who serves in the American army, still holds Nepali Citizenship and his name is also included in voter rolls in Kathmandu.

“The work of media monitoring is not done by us, but by the concerned agency,” said Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya. “The commission has rectified the weakness regarding the decision. It will not be implemented.”

Meanwhile, the Press Council Nepal has sought a 24-hour clarification from the news portal over the news.

The body responsible for enforcing the journalist code of conduct asked the news portal, “How the material that could have a negative impact on the candidates of any political party was published?”

The poll body’s order to remove the news report had drawn criticisms from various quarters. Legal experts had termed the move wrong and unconstitutional.