The ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has faced intense criticism after revealing it holds more than 35,000 members under the age of 18, a move that may contravene Nepalese law which prohibits minors from joining political parties. The disclosure came during the party’s first general convention on June 23, when former general secretary Kabindra Burlakoti shared an organizational report highlighting that 35,257 out of the party’s 523,465 members are minors.

The report detailed that Bagmati province accounts for the highest number of underage members at 13,001, while Karnali has the fewest with 1,414. Other provinces reporting minor membership include Koshi with 6,235, Gandaki with 5,116, Lumbini with 3,648, Madhesh with 3,030, and Sudurpashchim with 2,813 minors.

Opposition parties and child rights advocates swiftly condemned the RSP, accusing it of violating Nepal’s Constitution and the Political Parties Act, which both set 18 as the minimum age for party membership. Nepali Congress lawmaker Renuka Kauchha highlighted the issue during a House of Representatives meeting, questioning whether the ruling party considers itself exempt from laws barring underage political membership.

“The membership records show there are over 35,000 members below 18,” Kauchha stated. “Under Nepal’s Constitution and the Political Parties Act, individuals under 18 cannot become party members. Is the RSP above the law?”

Child rights experts echoed these concerns. Milan Dharel, former executive director of the National Child Rights Council, described the party’s actions as unlawful, noting that political party membership for children constitutes a violation under Section 64(2) of the Act Relating to Children, 2018. He emphasized that while children have a right to political participation, this right must be exercised within legal boundaries, and formal party membership is not permitted for minors.

The Act Relating to Children defines anyone under 18 as a child and explicitly forbids their use for political purposes, with penalties including fines and imprisonment for violations. The Political Parties Act further stipulates a minimum membership age of 18, and the Electoral Roll Act requires citizens to be at least 18 to register to vote.

Despite these provisions, the RSP’s membership data indicated about 6.7% of its base comprises minors, prompting criticism from advocacy groups such as the Children as Zones of Peace National Campaign. The group called for the immediate removal of underage members and urged oversight bodies — including the Election Commission and the National Human Rights Commission — to investigate the matter.

Responding to the allegations, the RSP attributed the high number of underage members to a technical error. Burlakoti explained that some applicants mistakenly entered their birth years in the Gregorian calendar (Anno Domini) rather than Nepal’s official Bikram Sambat calendar, resulting in distorted age data. He asserted the party has not manually verified members under 18 but pledged any ineligible memberships would be canceled.

“Sometimes 16- or 17-year-olds do apply because many young people are eager to engage politically,” Burlakoti said. “However, we do not accept their applications for membership. If any underage applicants were mistakenly admitted, their memberships will be revoked immediately.”

The Election Commission indicated it is aware of the issue through media reports but noted no formal complaints have been lodged. “If complaints are filed, the Commission will take action as per law,” spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai stated.

Meanwhile, lawmakers questioned the RSP’s stance on student politics, highlighting a perceived inconsistency in restricting political activities in educational institutions while seemingly allowing minors to join the party. The controversy raises broader questions about adherence to legal safeguards designed to protect children from political exploitation in Nepal.