The Election Commission (EC) has issued a second clarification notice to Balendra Shah, widely known as Balen, who is contesting from Jhapa-5 under the Rastriya Swatantra Party.
According to reports from Khabarhub, Nagarik/Republica and The Kathmandu Post, the EC acted after receiving an audio-visual complaint suggesting that plainclothes police officers accompanied Shah's wife, Sabina Kafle, while she solicited votes during door-to-door outreach in Jhapa-5. The material allegedly shows security personnel present in a way that could be interpreted as state resources being used to support a particular candidate.
EC officials have stated that Shah has been given three days to explain whether his campaign activities comply with the Election Code of Conduct, 2082, particularly provisions that bar the use of government resources and security personnel for electioneering. This is his second notice in the current campaign; he was earlier asked for clarification over an online comment directed at CPN-UML chair and rival candidate KP Sharma Oli.
The case is being closely watched because it tests how far the EC will go in acting on digital complaints and visual evidence. For voters, the outcome will indicate whether the code of conduct applies equally to high-profile candidates and newer parties that built their appeal on promises of cleaner politics. The EC has not yet announced any punitive decision, only that the matter is under review.