Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken exception to “early” implementation of the poll code for the federal and provincial elections, saying the move has affected the government’s efforts of carrying out relief and rehabilitation works in the districts affected by floods and inundation.

The Election Commission (EC)’s poll code of conduct for two major polls—to be held on November 26 and December 7—came into force on August 30. For Province 2, where the last phase of local elections are scheduled for September 18, the poll code of conduct came into effect on August 17, a week after floods affected the districts in the region.

During a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav and other EC officials, PM Deuba said on Friday that the “early” implementation of the poll code had hugley affected relief and rehabilitations works.

“PM Deuba and other ministers told the EC officials that the government’s relief efforts had been affected due to the code of conduct, as it cannot take any new decisions,” said PM Deuba’s senior communication expert Govinda Pariyar. “The government is facing difficulty in rebuilding the roads and bridges damaged by floods.”

Earlier also ministers had taken exception to “early” election code of conduct, saying “our hands have been tied” by the poll body.

In response, the EC officials are learnt to have said that the election body has not stopped the government from allocating resources and implementing the National Pride Projects. Activities for state restructuring and relief and rehabilitation in flood-hit areas and rebuilding of damaged infrastructure can be continued,” said the EC in a press release.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 160 people were killed in the worst water-induced disaster in many years in the districts along the plains. As many as 43,433 houses were destroyed and nearly 100,500 people were displaced.