The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday urged the political parties not to organise tea receptions and feasts in public places during festivals this year, warning that doing so would violate the election code of conduct. 

There is a tradition among the political parties of organising tea parties on the occasion of the Dashain festival. The Nepali Congress has been holding a tea reception on Kojagrat Purnima, the final day of the 15-day festival, for over 40 years. The CPN-UML has also started the tradition of organising such reception.

However, the EC said in a press statement that tea receptions and feasts to be organised by the political parties and their sister organisations during the festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath could have detrimental effect on making the upcoming provincial and federal elections fair, independent and to ensure austerity.

The EC had enforced the election code of conduct on August 30, targeting provincial and federal elections scheduled to be held on November 26 and December 7.