KATHMANDU, Jan 26: A formal complaint has been lodged against Harka Raj Rai, (Harka Sampang), chairman of Shram Sanskriti Party (SSP), accusing him of using children in election campaign in violation of Nepal’s child protection laws and against the election code of conduct.
Sampang, the former mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, has filed his candidacy for the March 5 House of Representatives election from Sunsari Constituency No. 1. Dharan Municipal Child Network registered the complaint both at the Election Officer’s Office and the Dharan police, seeking legal action.
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According to the complaint, children were directly involved in campaign activities targeting the election. The filing cites provisions of the Children’s Act, 2018, which explicitly prohibit the direct or indirect use of children for political purposes, calling the alleged acts a serious violation of child rights. It is also the newly released code of conduct for the election.
The Child Network has urged election authorities to summon Sampang for questioning and to initiate an investigation.
Chief Election Officer Divya Raj Ghimire confirmed that the complaint process has been initiated, stating that a committee formed under his coordination will review the case and correspond with relevant agencies.
Sampang could be issued a warning on the case, or face a fine of up to Rs 100,000. The EC can also cancel a candidate’s nomination if found grossly violate the rule.
