The Rastriya Swatantra Party has decided to continue its protest in the House of Representatives demanding the formation of a parliamentary committee to probe the visit visa scam. The party has also decided to take the protest to the streets.

Starting May 27, the fourth largest party has been protesting in the House demanding the probe committee while conducting a signature campaign in solidarity to its party chairperson Rabi Lamichhane, who is in judicial custody on the charges of cooperative fraud. The right-wing Rastriya Prajatantra Party has backed RSP’s protest.

RSP’s parliamentary party meeting held in Bhairahawa on Wednesday concluded that the protest was instrumental in establishing public voice and decided to intensify the agitation.

“We have received a message from the public that the RSP did not compromise with the ruling parties who have been showcasing ego and arrogance based on their numbers in the House,” said Santosh Pariyar, the party chief whip. “We have decided to continue our protest in the parliament, focusing on the corruption that took place under the guise of visit visas and other related issues while also keeping the door open for dialogue.”

Pariyar added the party has concluded that what matters in Parliament is people’s agenda not the numerical strength of a party. “We believe that the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre must come to a consensus on issues raised by the RSP on behalf of the common people,” he said.

The RSP lawmakers gathered in Bhairahawa, where Lamichhane is in judicial custody, to devise the party’s future course. At least half of them had met the party chair before the commencement of the parliamentary party meeting.

The party strategically chose Rupandehi for the meeting as byelection is being held there. Though the party discussed the election, no specific decision to this effect was taken, according to party leaders. Pariyar said they would hold election-focused interactions with the district leaders on Thursday before returning to Kathmandu. The Election Commission has scheduled a by-election in Rupandehi-3 for November 3.

Elated with the meetings with Nepali diaspora in different countries recently, the party has also decided to start a pressure campaign to allow such community voting rights from the upcoming elections as directed by the Supreme Court.

A division bench of justices Sapana Malla Pradhan and Purushottam Bhandari, on April 27, 2017, had directed the government to ensure voting rights of Nepalis citizens living abroad.

“Make all necessary arrangements for ensuring the voting rights of all Nepalis living abroad,” read the verdict. It said Nepalis who have not renounced their citizenship, not acquired citizenship of another country, hold a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission, and have their names on the lists updated by a diplomatic mission should be allowed external voting.

The apex court also directed the government to guarantee voting rights either through representatives, postal service, or electronic voting in the premises of diplomatic missions—whichever best ensures free, fair and secret voting in a cost-effective and hassle-free manner.

The court also instructed the government to acknowledge the contribution of citizens working abroad to Nepal’s economy by making it possible for them to vote, saying conducting the polls by keeping a significant chunk of the population away would not only curtail civic rights but such poll results would also not represent the true will of citizens.

Following the application from lawyers close to the RSP, the Judgement Enforcement Directorate has directed the Election Commission to implement the court order. The commission has already prepared a draft bill to amend and consolidate the election laws submitted to the government, proposing 27 revisions in the existing legal provisions including a provision to enable Nepali citizens living abroad to exercise their franchise. The commission has proposed provisions to allow them to vote under the proportional representation category via Nepal’s diplomatic missions in the respective countries.

Two years have passed since the draft bill was submitted to the government on July 3, 2023, but it has taken no steps to take it forward. The commission has envisioned postal voting and electronic-voting as options to allow the diaspora to vote under the proportional representation.