Rastriya Swatantra Party MPs Still Have Not Publicized Their Asset Declarations

The Rastriya Swatantra Party had pledged during their election campaign to publicly disclose their asset declarations before assuming public office. However, out of 182 RSP MPs, only 58 have submitted their asset declarations to the Federal Parliament Secretariat so far. The Secretariat has issued a notice requesting MPs to submit their asset details by Jestha 10. Kathmandu, 29 Baisakh.

According to the Corruption Prevention Act and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Act, public office holders are required to submit their asset declarations to the relevant office within 60 days. Nonetheless, the Rastriya Swatantra Party went beyond legal requirements by promising to make their asset details public even before taking public office. In their 100-point manifesto submitted for the election held on 21 Falgun, point number 16 states: ‘‘Before holding public office, we will fully disclose our asset declarations.’’

The manifesto also pledged that prior to the election and after the completion of their term, independent audits of changes in their own and their families’ assets will be conducted and presented publicly. Based on these promises, although the RSP won two fewer seats than expected, they secured two-thirds of the votes and formed the government. The House of Representatives and its thematic committees have been formed. However, despite their commitment to disclose asset declarations prior to assuming office, RSP MPs have yet to make their asset declarations public.

According to the MP Facilities Branch of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, only 58 MPs have submitted their asset details so far. These declarations have been submitted to the MP Facilities Branch of the Secretariat. The House of Representatives consists of 182 RSP MPs, in addition to 38 from the Nepali Congress, 25 from the CPN-UML, 17 from the Nepal Communist Party, 7 from the Labor Culture Party, 5 from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and one independent MP. Among all these members, only 58 have submitted their asset declarations. The deadline for submission is still open, and the MP Facilities Branch has issued a notice extending the deadline to Jestha 10.