The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)’s two-day extended central committee meeting concluded in Sauraha, Chitwan, on Saturday night, adopting several key decisions ahead of the election scheduled for March 5.

According to the party’s spokesperson Manish Jha, the meeting focused on election preparations and finalised the criteria for candidate selection under the proportional representation (PR) system.

The party decided to allocate 27 percent of its PR quota for youth within the age group of 25 to 40 years, based on their demographic proportion in the population. Similarly, ten percent of the PR seats will be reserved for Nepalis returning from abroad.

The party has decided not to repeat those who were elected through the proportional electoral system in the 2022 general elections in the same category.

The meeting also endorsed new standards for candidates’ eligibility, requiring self-declarations on marital status and authenticity of academic credentials, and a commitment not to engage in hate speech, verbal abuse, or acts of humiliation. Candidates must also declare that they have not exploited vulnerable groups or discriminated against anyone based on caste or gender.

Additionally, the meeting made it mandatory for all candidates to submit a declaration confirming a transparent and regular source of income sufficient to meet their own and their families’ basic needs. The party said it would also consider demographic balance among provincial clusters while finalising the list of candidates.

The RSP called on all political parties to participate in the March 5 elections. It urged the government to ensure a free, fair, and fearless electoral environment by improving coordination among stakeholders, enhancing security measures, and preparing necessary logistical and technical arrangements. The party also drew the government’s attention to allowing Nepalis living abroad to vote.

The meeting demanded an impartial investigation into the “anti-human” incidents that occurred during the recent Gen Z movement and called for action against those responsible.

Regarding the cooperative fraud case involving party president Rabi Lamichhane, the meeting reiterated that the charges were politically motivated and urged the judiciary to deliver a fair and prompt verdict.

“We firmly believe that only impartial and swift judicial proceedings can restore public trust in democracy and the rule of law,” the party’s statement read.

The meeting also decided to hold the party’s general convention six months after the upcoming election.

Nearly 400 party representatives participated in the extended meeting, including central committee members, advisers, officials from central commissions and departments, provincial and district chairs, coordinators of constituency committees, heads of local chapters, and representatives from the RSP’s diaspora committees abroad.

Acting chair DP Aryal presented a political report, General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti submitted an organisational report, Vice-chair Swarnim Wagle outlined the concept of the party’s election manifesto, Deputy General Secretary Bipin Acharya shed light on the framework for candidate selection, and Secretariat Member Deepak Bohara presented a report on the party’s campaign against Lamichhane’s arrest, which the RSP describes as a politically driven case.

Although the party’s charter does not formally provide for an extended meeting, the RSP said it was organised under the transitional provision of Article 87 of its statute. The conclusions of the meeting will be forwarded to the central committee as recommendations.