Siraha Police controls Indian vehicles used for poll campaign

By Santosh Subedi Siraha, May 6: Siraha Police has started taking under control Indian four-wheeler light vehicles being used for the publicity of local elections.

After the candidates of political parties started using Indian vehicles for campaigning, the District Administration Office (DAO), Siraha, issued a public notice on May 2 prohibiting the use of foreign vehicles for electioneering. However, despite the notice, the major parties are found not complying with it. 

After they found the vehicles being used against the administration's notice, Siraha police have started taking control of them in the district. The Siraha police had seized 270 Indian vehicles, including 56 on May 3 and 214 on May 4, from various places in the district. All the seized vehicles were identified and sent across the border.

“For the first time, the flag of the political party has been lowered. This process is only for one or two days,” said Subhash Budathoki, the spokesperson for the office. Even after the warning, if anyone is found using Indian vehicles, action will be taken according to the election law, he informed.

Although the use of Indian vehicles seems to be limited to the East-West Highway because of police action, their use has increased during the election campaign. Despite warnings from the police administration at border markets, settlements and postal routes, the use of Indian vehicles in electioneering is rampant, he said. The price of four-wheelers in India is much cheaper than in Nepal, but the price of oil is cheaper in Nepal. This may explain why the use of Indian vehicles is increasing here.