RSP Bars MPs From Appointing Relatives As Personal Secretaries, Makes Open Competition Mandatory

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has issued an internal directive preventing its federal lawmakers from appointing immediate family members or close relatives as personal secretaries.

The directive, issued by party General Secretary Bipin Kumar Acharya, requires MPs to select qualified candidates through a public announcement or open competitive process.

The policy follows the government’s recent decision to restore the facility allowing each federal lawmaker to appoint one personal secretary with benefits equivalent to a Gazetted Third Class or Section Officer-level employee.

Relatives Completely Barred From Appointment

According to the directive, nepotism and family-based appointments are completely prohibited under the party’s good-governance policy.

RSP MPs will not be permitted to appoint:

• Immediate family members

• Close relatives

• Individuals selected only because of personal connections

• People serving only on paper while another person performs the work

The party says appointments must be made from outside the MP’s family circle and based on qualifications and competence.

Open Competition Required

MPs will have to use a public call or open competition when choosing their personal secretaries.

The RSP Parliamentary Party will prepare a common advertisement format, and MPs will be required to invite applications using that format.

The directive is intended to prevent informal appointments and ensure that interested and qualified candidates receive an opportunity to apply.

Bachelor’s Degree Made Mandatory

Candidates must meet the minimum educational qualification set by the Federal Parliament Secretariat.

This includes completing at least a bachelor’s degree, which is consistent with the officer-level status attached to the position.

The party has also instructed MPs to give priority to candidates with:

• Research and policy-analysis skills

• Strong technological knowledge

• Administrative capability

• Experience handling parliamentary or constituency matters

• Effective communication and documentation skills

Women And Marginalised Groups To Receive Priority

The directive encourages MPs to promote inclusion when selecting personal secretaries.

Priority should be considered for:

• Women

• Marginalised communities

• Historically excluded groups

• People from backward regions

• Qualified candidates with limited access to political opportunities

The party says this approach will make appointments more representative while maintaining merit-based selection.

Salary Must Go Directly To Secretary’s Bank Account

RSP has strictly prohibited MPs or other individuals from deducting, collecting or misusing any part of a personal secretary’s salary.

The full salary must be deposited directly into the appointed employee’s bank account.

The directive states that any demand for salary kickbacks, unofficial deductions or financial sharing will be treated as a serious disciplinary violation.

Party Approval Required Before Appointment

An MP cannot complete the appointment independently.

The selected candidate must first receive final approval from the RSP Parliamentary Party.

After the appointment, copies of the personal secretary’s:

• Biodata

• Educational certificates

• Appointment documents

• Other relevant records

must be registered at the party’s central office.

This process is designed to allow the party to verify whether the candidate meets the required standards.

Action Against Fake Or Paper-Only Appointments

The directive warns that disciplinary action will be taken if an MP appoints a person only on paper to access government benefits.

The party’s Central Disciplinary Committee may act immediately if it finds that:

• A relative was appointed despite the ban

• The listed secretary is not actually performing the job

• Salary funds are being shared or misused

• False documents were submitted

• The selection process was manipulated

RSP says such conduct will be considered a violation of party discipline and its commitment to good governance.

Government Recently Restored The Facility

The federal government recently restored the provision allowing lawmakers to appoint personal secretaries after amending the schedule of the law governing the remuneration and facilities of federal parliament members.

Each MP can now appoint one personal secretary with benefits equivalent to those of a Section Officer.

The restoration of the facility has renewed public debate because lawmakers were previously criticised for appointing relatives or political workers instead of qualified professionals.

Why Personal Secretaries Matter

Personal secretaries are expected to assist MPs with:

• Researching proposed laws

• Preparing parliamentary documents

• Managing constituency concerns

• Communicating with government offices

• Scheduling public meetings

• Handling official correspondence

• Monitoring public-service delivery

• Supporting policy analysis

The position is funded by the state, which has led to calls for appointments to be transparent and based on merit rather than family or political loyalty.