The Election Commission on Thursday refused to recognise Resham Chaudhary as the chairman of the Nagrik Unmukti Party.

Giving its decision on Chaudhary’s application to make an update about the party chief, the commission said that he was ineligible to become a party chair. The decision was taken based on court order, party statute and other relevant laws, said Shaligram Poudel, spokesperson for the commission.

A political party has to give updated details about elections or changes in its office bearers or policies to the election body and keep the records up to date.

On January 12, Chaudhary was elected unopposed to the post of the party chair as no one filed a candidacy against him.

Chaudhary’s election had raised questions about whether a murder convict can lead a political party.

The Nagarik Unmukti Party has four lawmakers in the House of Representatives and has won 12 seats in three provincial assemblies.

The former lawmaker was serving a life term after being convicted of masterminding the 2015 Tikapur massacre. He was released from Dillibazar prison on May 28, 2023, after President Ramchandra Paudel, on the government’s recommendation, commuted his remaining jail term.

On May 16, 2023, the Supreme Court had upheld the decision of the Dipayal High Court to sentence Chaudhary to life for the Tikapur massacre where seven security personnel and a toddler were killed. The home ministry had taken the process for pardon ahead even as the apex court has yet to issue the full text of the verdict on the case.

Seven police personnel, including a Senior Superintendent of Nepal Police, and a toddler were killed during violent protests in Tikapur on August 24, 2015, in the run-up to the promulgation of the constitution.

The Kailali District Court slapped a life sentence on Chaudhary identifying him as the main accused, and the verdict was later endorsed by the Dipayal High Court.

He had surrendered before the Kailali district court in February 2018 and was serving a life sentence at the Dillibazar prison in the Capital.

A case filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Presidential pardon is sub judice in the top court.