The Election Commission has sought answers from Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) Chairman Resham Chaudhary after complaints were filed against him.
The NUP general convention held in Tikapur of Kailali on January 12 unanimously elected Chaudhary as the party’s chairman. The party then asked the Commission to update the party’s details with Chaudhary’s election as chairman..
But two separate complaints were filed at the Commission, on January 14 and January 17, stating that Chaudhary had been convicted of attempt to murder and sentenced to life imprisonment and that he had been released after being granted presidential pardon.
The Commission then decided to seek answers from NUP and Chaudhary regarding the complaints before updating the party’s details.
It has asked Chaudhary to furnish his answers to different questions within seven days.
The Commission has asked Chaudhary whether he is eligible to become a member of a political party according to sub-section 2 (b) of section 14 of the Political Parties Act, 2017.
It has also asked him whether it can be said, on the basis of the presidential pardon, that he had not committed or been punished for attempt to murder.
Similarly, the Commission has sought NUP’s answers to questions including whether the decision to elect Chaudhary as chairman was according to the party statute, and whether a person sentenced to life can be given party membership.
Chaudhary, who was serving a life sentence in the Tikapur case, was released from prison on May 31 last year after being granted presidential pardon on Republic Day.
