Former Royal Family Members Seek Parliamentary Intervention Over Frozen Property Dispute

In a recent development, three daughters of the late Dhirendra Shah, the younger brother of former king Gyanendra Shah, have approached the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives, seeking intervention in a longstanding dispute over the freezing of their land and property.

Dilasha, Shitashma, and Puja filed a complaint on December 24, contending that the Land Revenue Office unjustly froze the assets owned by their late father’s wife, Preksha. According to the Land Revenue Office, the landholding exceeded the ceiling set by the government, prompting the freeze 15 years ago in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-3.

The daughters argue that the Land Reforms Act of 1964 initially set a land holding ceiling in Kathmandu at 58 ropanis, and though a 2001 amendment reduced it to 30 ropanis, the freeze was imposed on their property, which they claim was legally divided and registered under their respective names on April 1, 2008.

The dispute hinges on the interpretation of the revised definition of ‘family’ in the 2006 amendment to the Land Reforms Act, asserting that family members above the age of 16 should be treated as separate individuals. The daughters argue that the 35 ropanis cannot be considered the landholding of a single family.

Dhirendra Shah, tragically killed in the Royal Palace Massacre on June 1, 2001, and his wife Preksha, who died in a helicopter accident in Mugu district five months later, left behind a complex legal situation. The daughters claim to have submitted applications for the release of the frozen property to the National Vigilance Center, Department of Land Reforms and Management, and Land Revenue Office, Kathmandu, four years ago, but allege no progress has been made.

While the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has yet to initiate discussions on the complaint, some members argue that the issue does not fall within the committee’s scope of work. The daughters are now seeking the committee’s intervention to uphold what they consider their constitutional right to own property, adding a new layer to the ongoing legal saga surrounding the former royal family.