Janata Samajwadi Party formed after unification of Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJP) and Socialist Party Nepal has finally been registered with the Election Commission on Thursday.
Election Commission Spokesperson Raj Kumar Shrestha said a meeting on Wednesday decided to register the party. "The party has already been registered. We will probably give the registration certificate today," Shrestha stated.
The two parties had hastily announced unification late night on April 22 to prevent split in the Socialist Party abetted by Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli.
The government on April 20 had brought an ordinance allowing splitting of a party with support of 40 percent in either the parliamentary party or the central committee. The act about political parties requires support of 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and the central committee to split any political party.
Seven lawmakers of Socialist had prepared to split the party capitalizing on the ordinance that made splitting of parties easier. The two parties had hastily announced unification to thwart that.
The united party will use the flag of Socialist Party and election symbol of RJP, umbrella. Both the parties have 17 seats each in the House of Representatives but Resham Chaudhari of RJP, however, is suspended after being sentenced in a criminal case.
Socialist Party has 30 seats in Province 2 assembly and leads the provincial government there while RJP has 25 seats.
Election Commission Spokesperson Shrestha, meanwhile, revealed that Socialist Party Nepal's ousted lawmaker Sarita Giri has also lodged an application against the party decision to oust her. "She has lodged an application but the Election Commission cannot do anything in it. The application should come from the secretariat concerned."
Socialist Party Nepal has expelled Giri from the House and party for violating the party whip on the Constitution amendment bill brought to implement the new map.
Giri had lodged an amendment proposal against the Constitution amendment bill brought to implement the new map. Giri in her amendment proposal had stated that Nepal does not have sources and evidence to establish that the territory of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh belongs to Nepal.
She had refused to take back the amendment proposal despite the party warning her to take it back or face action. The amendment proposal was later rejected by Speaker Agni Sapkota citing clauses 112(b and c) House of Representatives (HoR) regulations.
She had also left the House before voting on the bill violating the party whip to vote in support of the government's bill.
