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The Central Committee meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is scheduled to be held this afternoon at the party's central office in Banasthali, Kathmandu.

Joint General Secretary Bipin Acharya said that the meeting has been called to elect senior party leader Balendra Shah popularly known as Balen Shah as the Parliamentary Party leader.

The CC meeting will be held after the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected members of the House of Representatives. 

The RSP had announced Shah as the candidate for Prime Minister in the March 5 House of Representatives elections.

The RSP emerged as the first party with a total of 182 seats, giving way for the formation of the next government under its leadership. 

Shah is likely to be unanimously chosen as the RSP's Parliamentary Party leader, paving the way for him to become the next Prime Minister of Nepal.

An investigation panel formed to examine the September 8-9 protests has recommended that then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Nepal Police Chief Chandra Kishwor Khapung be held accountable for the deaths of protesters, most of whom were college students. The Sushila Karki-led government has decided to make the report public after parts of it were leaked to the media. 

The Karki-led government had formed a panel headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, which submitted its report last week. The onus now lies on the new government, led by Balendra Shah, to implement the report’s recommendations.

The panel has recommended investigating the officials under Section 181 of the Muluki Criminal Code, 2018. This section states that “no one shall cause the death of another through negligent acts.” If a death occurs due to such negligence, the law provides for imprisonment ranging from three to ten years and a fine of NPR 30,000 to NPR 100,000. Additionally, the commission has recommended taking action against dozens of government officials for failing to fulfill their duties.

According to the report, despite being informed about the growing security threats, the Prime Minister did not take timely initiatives to prevent casualties. The panel noted that if military and police coordination had been effective, the number of deaths and injuries could have been significantly reduced. 

The report emphasizes that Nepal, while having a parliamentary system, operates effectively as a Prime Ministerial system. Even when gunfire continued for nearly four hours around the Parliament building, resulting in several deaths and hundreds of injuries, it was the Prime Minister’s responsibility—as head of government—to ensure the protection of all citizens. The failure of responsible officials to act, and the Prime Minister’s inability to prevent further loss of life, represents a major institutional weakness, according to the report.

The commission also raised questions about the role of the Nepal Army during the protests. While army personnel were deployed at key locations such as Singha Durbar and Sheetal Niwas, the report notes that the army did not appear to carry out its duty to protect these sensitive sites. Commanders stationed at Singha Durbar, the Presidential residence (Sheetal Niwas), the Federal Parliament building in Baneshwor, and the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar reportedly failed to fulfill their responsibilities.

It was also revealed that Nepal Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel pressured Prime Minister Oli to resign on the morning of September 9. In his statement to the commission, the Army Chief said he had informed the Prime Minister that the army was fully prepared to manage the situation following the resignation.

The report highlights systemic lapses in intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, and preventive measures, warning that future incidents could escalate without reforms in political and security leadership. It points out that security agencies had insufficient information regarding the preparations made by protest organizers.

 The National Investigation Department, tasked with intelligence collection, failed to gather adequate information. Similarly, coordination among the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Army was found to be lacking.

To strengthen Nepal’s security apparatus, the commission has recommended conducting coordinated training programs with the security agencies of India and China. “To enhance the effectiveness of security agencies, diplomatic efforts should be made to conduct coordinated training programs with the security agencies of the two neighboring countries, India and China,” the report states.

The commission also highlighted the role of online platforms, particularly Discord, in organizing the protests. Groups such as “Youth Against Corruption” and “Yuva Hub” facilitated coordination, decision-making, and political endorsements, including the virtual selection of Sushila Karki as Prime Minister. While the District Administration Office prepared security plans for peaceful rallies, messages promoting violence and Molotov cocktails circulated freely online, largely unchecked by security agencies.

In his testimony, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the Nepali Communist Party, suggested the possibility of both internal and external infiltration in the protests. Similarly, Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, stated that he was forcibly removed from jail against his will and clarified that his party was not involved in the September 8-9 protests. Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah, who is poised to become Prime Minister, emphasized that he supported the peaceful rallies but was not directly involved in the protests.

The cabinet led by Sushila Karki appears hesitant to release the report submitted by the inquiry panel headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, which was formed to investigate the violent protests of September 8–9. However, portions of the report have been leaked by several media outlets, including Janaastha Weekly.

According to the leaked conclusion cited by Janaastha, security agencies that were relatively active on September 8 became ineffective the following day, a lapse believed to have significantly increased the scale of damage.

The commission has raised serious concerns about the role of the Nepal Army, stating that despite having clear intelligence about the sensitivity and escalation of the situation, it was not effectively deployed when requested by the district administration. The report also recommends action against senior army officials responsible for safeguarding vital installations.

Responding to the findings, Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel said security agencies had anticipated that the protests could intensify. However, due to the absence of a formal meeting of the National Security Council, no concrete strategic decisions could be made in time.

The commission found that highly flammable materials were used in coordinated attacks on key state institutions, including Singha Durbar, the Federal Parliament building, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Palace. Attackers deliberately targeted locations housing critical documents.

Field investigations revealed a consistent pattern in the attacks: CCTV systems were destroyed first, followed by the disabling of water tanks, destruction of data centers, and attacks on computer rooms. Documents were then burned, valuables looted, and finally, buildings were set ablaze using gas cylinders.

In several high-profile locations, including Singha Durbar and the Supreme Court, attackers used chemicals and petrol bombs (Molotov cocktails), indicating a planned and systematic approach.

The report also reveals that President Ram Chandra Paudel was evacuated from Shital Niwas by the Nepal Army shortly after accepting the resignation of then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Furthermore, the commission has recommended up to 10 years of punishment against KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Police Chief Chandrakuber Khapung, accusing them of negligence that led to the deaths of adolescents during the unrest.

The panel has also called for further investigation into the arson and looting of historical heritage sites, as well as government, private, and commercial properties on September 9, citing insufficient evidence to reach definitive conclusions.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that the mandate expressed by the people through the March 5 election to the House of Representatives had placed a great responsibility on the shoulders of elected representatives.

Speaking at a reception organized by the Election Commission at Bahadur Bhawan today, President Paudel emphasized the need for unity in advancing freedom, social justice, good-governance and national prosperity. 

Paudel viewed that the public mandate had obliged elected representatives to work in unison towards the shared vision of nation-building. "In a democracy, opinions may differ but I believe that all Nepalis will share a common goal of nation-building," he expressed. 

On the occasion, the Head of the State appealed to everyone to join efforts in uplifting people's living standards and achieving prosperity as envisioned by the Federal Democratic Republic.

He noted that the enthusiastic participation of the Nepali citizens in exercising their democratic right to elect their representatives had reaffirmed their unwavering faith in the democratic system. "The mandate expressed by voters by reaching polling centers has helped shape the country's future," he remarked.

The Head of the State acknowledged the Commission's notable efforts in increasing voter turnout, ensuring transparency and frugality, effectively enforcing code of conduct and promoting the concept of green election.

According to him, such steps had contributed in making elections less expensive, fair, impartial and environmentally friendly. 

President Paudel remarked, "It occurs to me that the successful conduct of the election has succeeded in earning appreciation and accolades from the international community."

Terming the election as the 'backbone of democracy', the President used the occasion to express his gratitude to the government, the Election Commission, civil employees, and security personnel for their pivotal role in conducting the election peacefully.

Furthermore, he recognized the crucial roles of all stakeholders and citizens in making the election successful despite the challenging times.