Kathmandu: Legal practitioners have said that the Nepali Congress is constitutionally obliged to convene a special general convention in line with its party statute, following a formal demand by a majority of general convention delegates.

Speaking at a legal consultation meeting organized by supporters of the special general convention on Saturday, senior lawyers said the party must call the convention by Poush 12, as the regular general convention schedule has been disrupted. They argued that Article 17(2) of the Nepali Congress statute becomes automatically effective once more than 40 percent of general convention delegates submit a written demand citing special reasons. In this case, more than 54 percent of delegates have already done so.

Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi said the statute leaves no room for discretion or interpretation. He stressed that once the required threshold is met, the central committee is legally bound to convene a special general convention within three months. “No individual or committee can stand above the statute,” he said, adding that clear legal provisions do not require further interpretation. He described Article 17(2) as a mandatory clause that cannot be reversed once activated.

Tripathi also remarked that while the Nepali Congress has historically championed democracy, it has often failed to practice it internally. He noted that although legal action is possible if the statute is not implemented, it would be preferable to resolve the matter within the party, as it is an internal issue.

Senior advocate Yadunath Khanal echoed similar views, stating that Article 17(2) of the party statute is explicit and compulsory. He said attempts to seek further interpretation were unnecessary and misleading. According to him, the provision clearly states that a special general convention “must” be held within three months once the required number of delegates make a formal demand.

Advocate RC Bimal Poudel also said that the special general convention cannot be halted under any pretext. He argued that the party’s statute functions as its internal constitution and that no party body, including the central working committee, can override it. He added that attempts to prioritize the regular general convention schedule over the special convention have already failed.

Supporters of the special general convention pointed out that representatives of the Nepali Congress general convention submitted their signatures to Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka on November 11, formally demanding a special convention. However, the issue was sidelined after the central committee announced dates for a regular general convention in December. With that schedule now affected, proponents of the special general convention have renewed their push, insisting that if a regular convention cannot be held on time, a special general convention must be convened as mandated by the statute.