The National Independent Party (NISP) has also removed the names of candidates who have not formally withdrawn their names from the proportional closed list. The number of candidates to be removed is 38.

The Election Commission had set a date of 28 Pus to withdraw names from the closed list. There was a provision that the person included in the closed list had to reach the commission himself and withdraw his name. On the same day, 175 candidates from 17 parties withdrew their names. Only two people from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) withdrew their names.

However, in the updated closed list of the RSS made public by the commission on Sunday, 38 candidates have changed. There is a legal provision that the concerned party cannot remove its name or add a new name from the closed list submitted for the first time. However, the commission had given the parties an opportunity to correct it in case the inclusive group was not agreed upon or the necessary documents were not received.

After some error was found in the closed list submitted by all 58 parties, the commission had given time from 20 to 27 Pus to correct it. The Commission had written to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on 20 December, complaining that 65 out of the 110 names included in the closed list did not have citizenship, approval letters and self-declaration forms.

The RSS has been accused of using the opportunity to change candidates as a way to change the documents as demanded by the Commission. The party has been found to have changed more than three dozen names on the grounds that the concerned candidate did not come in contact or did not submit the documents.

The Election Commission has clearly stated that the party does not have the facility to change the name or order once the closed list is submitted. The right to withdraw the name is also given to the concerned person, not the party, according to the Commission. According to an officer of the proportional election office of the Commission, since the names of some underage people were included in the list, proof was requested and permission was granted to change the name after the proof was not received. But in the case of other candidates, he alleges that the party changed the name on the pretext of not receiving the documents.

Some famous faces have been removed from the RSVP list, while some controversial names have been retained. Some of those who were removed from the list have expressed dissatisfaction, saying that their names were removed against their will. They say that they were removed from the list even though they did not apply for withdrawal.

The Election Commission had made the official list of all parties public on Monday. According to the updated list of the RSVP submitted to the commission, 72 old candidates have been kept as is, while 38 new candidates have been entered.

Earlier, the commission had directed to correct the list submitted on Poush 14, saying that the citizenship and self-declaration forms of 65 candidates were not sufficient. Sachin Dhakal, the son of businessman Chandra Dhakal, has been removed after his name was found to be underage. However, Sachin had already announced that he would withdraw his candidacy.

Some famous artists and activists who were initially included had announced their withdrawal of candidacy through social media. Accordingly, the names of Asif Shah, Trishala Gurung and Sachin Dhakal are not in the current closed list. Similarly, tourism entrepreneurs Tasi Lakpa Sherpa, Sirjana Wali, Dr. Abhishek Singh and Araniko Pandey have also not been included in the new list.

But some names that are said to be influential and accessible remain the same. The names of entrepreneur Vidushi Rana, former Miss Nepal Anushka Shrestha, artist Prakash Saput and Rima Bishwakarma remain on the list. The name of Manohar Pradhan, who is out on bail in the case of party president Ravi Lamichhane, has also not been removed.

Pradhan had given a bail of Rs 3 million to get Lamichhane released from detention in the case of misappropriation of savings of the Supreme Cooperative in Butwal. Similarly, the names of Milan Limbu and Bipin Kumar Acharya have been removed from the proportional list.

Interested candidates ‘out’

Some candidates who were in the news inside and outside the party, who were interested in being on the proportional list, have also been removed from the list. Ramji Ram, who represents Dalit and minority quotas, human rights activist Mohana Ansari and Tasi Lhajom are not in the revised list.

Tasi Lhajom, who was recommended as the first candidate in the tribal cluster women, said that her name was forcibly removed. She told Kantipur, ‘According to the party constitution, my name was listed as the first candidate. But I was not consulted when I was removed.’ Basumaya Tamang, the party’s central member and co-treasurer, has been recommended in her place.

Mohana Ansari, who was recommended as the second candidate in the Muslim cluster women, also said that her name was withdrawn against her will. ‘I did not want to withdraw it myself.’ But after being asked to fill out the withdrawal form by the party, I sent a digital copy,' she said, 'This is all a media trial.'

Similarly, the name of Ranju Darshana, who was recommended at number 10 for the Khas-Arya women's category, has also been removed from the updated list. She has claimed that she has not withdrawn her name and that the news that came out is wrong.

Sources claim that Ramji Ram, who was recommended at number four for the Dalit cluster, was also forcibly withdrawn from his candidacy. According to sources, Ramji Ram was forced to withdraw his candidacy through a self-declaration.