The Election Commission has sought clarification from Harka Sampang, chair of the Labour Culture Party, following allegations that children were used in election campaigning in violation of the election code of conduct. Sampang has denied the allegations.
In a written response submitted to the Election Commission, Sampang said the children seen at campaign-related activities may have accompanied their parents and that he had no prior knowledge of their presence.
“I have no information regarding this matter,” the clarification letter stated. “I have not instructed or directed any parent to bring children, nor have I persuaded, threatened, intimidated, or deliberately involved children in election campaigning. With millions of supporters, there is no need for me to rely on children for election promotion.”
The Election Commission requested the clarification after receiving a complaint alleging that children were used during campaign activities.
T-Shirt Distribution and Allegations of Misrepresentation
Sampang also said he was unaware of children wearing T-shirts bearing the Labour Culture Party’s election symbol.
In his explanation, he stated that Nepali migrant workers living abroad, inspired by his call for labour contribution toward national development, had printed T-shirts featuring his photograph and distributed them to labour volunteers as a source of motivation.
According to Sampang, after some parents were seen attending labour contribution activities with their children, a supporter living abroad suggested that children could also be given T-shirts. He said this was the extent of his understanding regarding how children came to wear the T-shirts.
Sampang further stated that he had heard people of all ages, including children and elderly individuals, expressed happiness and enthusiasm while wearing the T-shirts. He also challenged the complainant to present evidence proving that he had instructed, persuaded, or deliberately involved children in election campaigning.
Maintaining that he had not violated any provision of the election code of conduct, Sampang said the audio-visual materials submitted as evidence may not accurately reflect reality and could be misleading or dramatized.
He cited a recent incident in which a misleading video falsely claimed that the Election Commission had accepted Rs 520 million and assigned responsibility of a political party to a specific group, a claim that later circulated widely on social media.
Sampang said such materials could be created using technology with malicious intent to defame individuals and requested that neither he nor the Labour Culture Party be subjected to punitive action.
