Only 671 of 3,406 Candidates Have Opened Mandatory Election Bank Accounts, Election Commission Says

Kathmandu — So far, only 671 candidates have opened bank accounts to spend money on election campaigning.

Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that out of a total of 3,406 candidates, only 671 have opened the required bank accounts — about 20% of all candidates.

The Commission has mandated that political parties and candidates deposit and spend all money needed for campaign activities only through bank accounts.

Bhattarai said that at the Commission’s request, Nepal Rastra Bank has issued a circular directing banks and financial institutions to facilitate opening accounts for the candidates.

He added that political parties and candidates across the country are in the process of opening the required accounts, and the Commission is collecting information from banks about any problems candidates are facing so it can assist them.

According to him, the Commission organized a discussion on how the opened accounts should be managed and how banks should support the process. Banks and financial institutions have pledged to fully cooperate with the bank‑account system, which was introduced to make election spending more transparent and organized.