Citizenship Dispute Hits RSP: Complaint Filed Against Balen Shah Over Alleged False Details

In a significant legal escalation amid the high-stakes 2026 general election campaign, social activist Yubaraj Safal has filed a formal complaint at the Ministry of Home Affairs against former Kathmandu Mayor and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) senior leader Balendra Shah, alleging that he provided false information to alter his citizenship details.

The complaint specifically targets a discrepancy in Shah’s surname and residential records, claiming that while his original citizenship (No. 5192) issued from Mahottari on December 21, 2006, listed his surname as “Sah,” a copy obtained from the District Administration Office in Kathmandu on July 3, 2022, changed the spelling to “Shah” without following the mandatory legal procedures.

Citing Section 12 and Section 17(2) of the Citizenship Act, 2063, Safal argues that such an unauthorized modification constitutes a criminal offense and has demanded the immediate revocation of the leader’s citizenship, along with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of Rs. 100,000.

This controversy arises at a critical juncture for the RSP, which has positioned Shah as its Prime Ministerial candidate, and follows the sudden postponement of the party’s mass meetings in Bhairahawa and Pokhara originally scheduled for February 21 and 22.

While the party has officially cited administrative adjustments and coordination efforts for the delay, the citizenship dispute has added a layer of legal scrutiny to the movement, with Safal threatening to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court if the Ministry fails to take decisive action.