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The Election Commission (EC) has stressed the need for an effective mechanism to regulate the challenges surfaced in the implementation of the election code of conduct in the wake of massive use of the information technology.

The first meeting of the Central Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee held on Monday underscored the need to devise a special mechanism to control issues such as misinformation, hate speech and fake information circulated through social media and digital platforms during elections.

The Central Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee is formed as per Clause 26 of Election Code of Conduct, 2082 BS. 

The meeting was presided over by EC Commissioner Sagun Shumsher JBR in the presence of Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari and Commissioner Dr Janaki Kumari Tuladhar, the EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said. 

The meeting discussed the coordination among the agencies, role of regulatory bodies and challenges in implementation, and various other issues relating to the effective implementation of the election code of conduct. 

On the occasion, the officials viewed that awareness-based, promotional, and punitive programs should be initiated simultaneously for effective implementation of the code of conduct.

Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari said that regulation of the social sites was imperative and the Commissioner should effectively mobilize all its mechanisms.

The government has planned to conduct the second Economic Census, 2025 from mid-March to mid-July.

The census aims to provide an accurate picture of the national economy through statistical information.

This information on it was shared at a program organized here to unveil the schedule, log and theme of the census. The census will be conducted under the theme of 'Economic Census for Measuring Economy' from March 15 to July 16, 2025, according to the National Statistics Office.

Office Spokesperson and Deputy Chief Statistics Officer Dhundiraj Lamichhane informed that details of the census would be released gradually starting from the fiscal year, 2026-27. He stated that the census is a significant initiative for gathering basic and reliable statistics, which are essential for formulating economic policies, plans and development strategies.

Lamichhane added that the main purpose of national economic enumeration is to collect data on the number, type, investment, employment, production, and service flow of industries, trade, businesses, services, cooperatives, and private–public institutions.

Shedding light on the objective and importance of the survey, Chief Statistics Officer Dr Kamal Prasad Pokharel said this census would play a significant role in building a strong institutional foundation of economic statistics. He underscored, "It is expected that the economic census will make a vital contribution in short-term and long-term economic plans prepared by the government, investment promotion and employment creation and receive details."

Strengthening of the estimates of gross domestic product of the country, production of necessary data to change the base of national accounts, formulation of policies and plans of the government and assessment of the goals sets by the government are other objectives of the economic census.

The government had conducted the national economic census for the first time seven years back.

A total of 923,356 business institutions across the country were recorded during the first economic census and 3.228 million people were involved in the business institutions. 

Similarly, around 30 percent of business firms had women managers. There were equal numbers of formal and informal institutions, according to the first economic census.

Economic activities to be measured are divided into 21 parts as per international industrial categorization. 

The study takes stock of the roles these sectors have played in the national economy. Basic information on 18 sectors out of 21 would be collected for the census.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson paid a farewell call on Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

During the meeting held today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, matters related to various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries were discussed, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

The Muslim community has been protesting in Birgunj since Sunday morning following the vandalism of a mosque in Dhanusha.

A group of unidentified persons vandalized a mosque at a Muslim Tole in Sakhuwa Maran, Dhanukamala Municipality-6, Dhanusha, and burned a copy of the Quran, according to an information circulated on social media.

The demonstrators have burned tires on the streets and shouted slogans in various places including Ghantaghar in Birgunj and Murali among others.

Meanwhile, a minor clash broke out between protesters and police at Idgah Chowk in Chhapakaiya.

Pollice also fired five rounds of tear gas shells to control the situation.

A police man sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The protesters have demanded immediate arrest and action against those who entered and vandalized mosques, the holiest places for Muslims, and burned the religious book, Quran.

Somnath Ghimire, a longtime Woodside resident and community leader, will formally announce his candidacy for the New York State Assembly in District 30 at a public event on 01/11/2026 at 6:30 pm at Gulshan Terrace.

"At its best, Queens is a place where every family belongs and has a voice," said Ghimire. "I'm stepping forward because District 30 deserves leadership that understands our communities and is committed to delivering real, smart practical solutions that work for everyone."

At the announcement event, Ghimire will outline his vision for a stronger and fairer Queens. His stated priorities include affordable housing, strong public schools, worker protections, and inclusive representation for all residents of Assembly District 30.

"I believe public service means listening, showing up, and fighting for the people we represent," Ghimire added. "Together, we can build a Queens where every family has the opportunity to thrive."

Further details are expected to be released following the announcement event.

Ghimire has lived in Woodside since 1996 and has spent more than two decades serving the Nepali American and South Asian community, advocating for workers, immigrants, and working families throughout Queens. His background includes serving as a 2020 Census Field Supervisor, helping ensure underrepresented communities were fully counted, and participating in human rights missions to 22 countries through the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED International).

Most places in the Tarai region will experience fog and mist today.

Furthermore, partial cloudiness will occur in the hilly and Himalayan regions of Koshi Province, as well as the high hills and mountain regions of Bagmati, Gandaki, and Karnali Provinces. The weather will be mainly fair in the remaining areas.

According to the 8 am bulletin published by the Meteorological Forecasting Division, there is a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two places of the high hills and mountain regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Karnali Provinces.

Later tonight, fog will continue to persist in many places of the Tarai region.

Partial cloudiness will occur in the hilly and Himalayan regions of Koshi Province, as well as in the areas of Gandaki and Karnali Provinces. The weather will be mainly fair in the remaining areas.

There is also a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two places of the high hills and mountain regions of Koshi and Karnali Provinces.

The meteorological analysis by the Division also states that there is an influence of westerly winds across the country.

Solar energy producer, Jhapa Energy, has sold power worth Rs 47.1 million to Nepal Electricity Authority in five months.

The company produced 6.52 million units of power during the period from Shrawan to mid-Mangsir of the fiscal year 2082/83 from its 10-megawatt solar power project based in Buluchowk, Ward No. 4, Shivasatakshi Municipality, according the chair of the company's board of directors, Lal Bahadur Sanwa Limbu,

The Nepal Electricity Authority purchases the power produced by Jhapa Energy at the rate of Rs 7.30 per unit. It has been producing electricity commercially since the past two years.

Jhapa Energy has established the project in an area of 22 bigaha of land in Buluchowk, where 21,600 solar panels have been installed. The solar power generated from the project is transported to the Nepal Electricity Authority's Buluchowk substation, located within a kilometer, and connected to the national power grid.

Jhapa Energy had generated solar power worth Rs 50 million and sold it to the NEA in the fiscal year 2080/81.

Chairman Limbu said that sales increased to Rs 90 million in the fiscal year 2081/82.

The code of conduct for the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives has stipulated that the government and semi-government bodies are not allowed to carry out any activities in favor of or against any political party.

The code of conduct set by the Election Commission for the March 5 elections has provided that no resources of any project should be provided in a way that they can be used in favor of or against any party or candidate. No work should be done that would obstruct the election management and voter education and other programs run by the Commission in any way, or that materials or information related to the election should be damaged or altered in any way.

According to the code of conduct, no government or semi-government body or public organization or university or school or college should be used for or against election-related gatherings or publicity. Provisions have been made that jackets, shirts, vests, T-shirts, hats or caps, shawls, masks, lockets or any other type of clothing or symbolic materials such as stickers, logos, bags, badges, tattoos, etc. bearing the election symbols of political parties or candidates cannot be produced, used, sold, distributed or displayed.

The code of conduct has made provisions that political activities or publicity cannot be carried out on the property of a private organization or institution owned by any individual without the permission of the house or landowner.

The code of conduct prohibits the use of children in election publicity. The code of conduct also makes provisions that any kind of procession, public meeting, corner meeting, meeting, gathering or election propaganda cannot be carried out in a way that obstructs public mobility.

It also provides that false, misleading, or hateful information cannot be disseminated in any media, including social media.