Himal Press 
RSP lawmakers
KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has issued internal directives to make the appointment process for personal secretaries to its federal lawmakers more transparent, competitive, and accountable to the public.
According to RSP General Secretary Bipin Kumar Acharya, the party has introduced guidelines with specific criteria to prevent nepotism, favoritism toward family members and financial irregularities in the appointment of personal secretaries.
Acharya said the party had set internal standards to prevent the misuse of a provision recently introduced by the government that allows federal lawmakers to appoint one personal secretary, drawing a salary and facilities equivalent to those of a section officer.
According to him, RSP lawmakers cannot appoint members of their immediate families or close relatives as personal secretaries.
Likewise, candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification. Preference will be given to individuals with research capabilities, technology skills and a commitment to the party’s values and principles, Acharya said.
The guidelines also give priority to women, marginalized communities and disadvantaged groups among qualified candidates.
According to Acharya, personal secretaries must be selected through a public call for applications or open competition, and mandatory approval from the parliamentary party must be obtained before a final appointment is made. He said the party would retain the authority to make the final decision on any disputes or complaints related to appointments.
According to Acharya, the biodata and educational qualification certificates of appointed personal secretaries must be registered with the Federal Parliament Secretariat and the party’s central office.
The concerned lawmakers will also be required to regularly evaluate the performance of their personal secretaries and submit periodic reports to the parliamentary party. The directives state that personal secretaries must maintain complete confidentiality regarding the lawmakers’ work and the party’s internal affairs.
Acharya said the party’s Central Disciplinary Committee will take immediate action if anyone is found violating the directives by appointing relatives or engaging in other financial irregularities.
The guidelines also allow lawmakers to dismiss their personal secretaries at any time after informing the parliamentary party if their performance is poor or if they violate the code of conduct or breach confidentiality.
