The statement made by Nepal Samajwadi Party (Naya Shakti) leader and former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai that the minimum age for becoming a member of the Federal Parliament should be lowered by issuing an ordinance is being widely discussed.
On Thursday, Bhattarai said that the stipulated age for becoming a federal MP should be reduced in line with the sentiments of Gen Z representatives.
The government has scheduled the new elections for the House of Representatives for March 5, 2026.
Bhattarai suggested that it would be appropriate to lower the age to 21 years by amending the law through an ordinance.
"You have led a movement. One must have completed 25 years of age to be a candidate (for the House of Representatives). This needs to be lowered. Elsewhere in the world, it's 21 years and in some places even 18 years. Then why shouldn't we do it?" Bhattarai said. "The voting age and the age for being a candidate should be the same. Since Nepali citizenship is granted at 16 years, the age should be aligned with that. Let's make the voting age and the age for citizenship the same. Let's make the age for being candidate 18 for the local level and 21 for the upper levels. This can be done immediately, let's do it through an ordinance."
However, unlike Bhattarai suggested, it is not possible to immediately lower the stipulated age for becoming an MP through an ordinance. The age requirement for MPs has been set by the Constitution itself, not by election laws. This provision is found in Article 87 of the Constitution.
According to the provision in Article 87(1)(b) of the Constitution, one must have completed 25 years of age to be a member of the House of Representatives and 35 years of age to be a member of the National Assembly.
Therefore, the age limit cannot be changed by issuing an ordinance as Bhattarai suggested. For this, the Constitution itself must be amended. Currently, with the House of Representatives itself dissolved, a constitutional amendment is impossible.
Bhattarai also pointed out the risk of the Constitution itself being derailed if elections are not held. "Elections must be held. If elections aren't held, what happens? The Constitution gets derailed," he said.
Comparing the current achievements to a half-filled glass, he said that elections are needed to fill it completely. He remarked that some forces are trying to overturn even this half-filled glass.
"If elections don't happen, even the half-filled glass will be overturned. Some are indeed working to overturn it. You have seen it, haven't you? Some people are talking a lot about movement. That is not a movement supporting you. It is a movement to overturn even this half-filled glass. You are continuing the movement to add to the half-filled glass. We must be vigilant against the movement aimed at overturning it and hold elections," he said.
Bhattarai also said that the current government must work while being accountable to Gen Z.
"What you need to do and agree on is to make legal provisions for those abroad to vote," he said.
