Tune them out

Attempts to influence voters tend to continue even during the silent periods.

With the election to the House of Representatives just a day away, Nepal is currently in a silence period. It began on Monday at midnight and will last until the voting concludes at 5pm on March 5. Also called a ‘publicity restriction period’, ideally, this is when all forms of election campaigns end. Any promotional materials, including advertisements, videos and posters, disseminated during the campaign period, are removed. Posters and banners within a 300-metre radius of polling stations are put away. Items such as stickers, logos, caps and bags that promote political parties and their candidates are barred. No discussions, workshops, interactions or seminars are held. The motive of the period is to safeguard the integrity of elections by ensuring that they are conducted in a free, fair and fearless environment, allowing voters to calmly decide who to vote for.