The Election Commission has rejected the demand of former Maoist Centre leaders for the annulment of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), as it has not held its general convention since 2013. The constitution requires that political parties registered at the poll body hold a general convention within five years.

On July 7, on behalf of around two dozen former Maoist leaders who defected to the CPN-UML, advocate Saroj Budhathoki had registered a complaint at the commission saying that the Maoist Centre, was illegal as the party has breached the provisions of the Constitution of Nepal and the Political Party Act-2017.

“Since the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) was registered at the Election Commission fulfilling all the conditions of the constitution and existing laws, we need not take any action upon the demand of the application,” said Raj Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson of the Election Commission.

The commission, according to its authorities, has given five basis to quash the application — Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) was registered at the commission as per the party’s decision of August 16, 2016; took part in the elections of 2017; the Nepal Communist Party formed after its merger with CPN-UML was registered on May 31, 2018; the Supreme Court had decided on the revival of the two parties in their previous form on March 7; and two days after that development the Election Commission had decided both the UML and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) would resume in their previous forms and the decision was published in the Gazette as well.

A team led by Chief Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya and comprising commissioners Sagun Shumsher JB Rana, Janaki Kumari Tuladhar, Ram Prasad Bhandari and Ishwori Prasad Poudyal took the decision on Sunday.

The commission has also quashed another application of Bhabiswor Parajuli, who claimed to be the chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) saying there were no records of Parajuli’s party. Parajuli had demanded that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) be awarded to him. Instead, the commission has cautioned Parajuli not to use the letter-head of another party and present false details.