House of Representatives (Nepal)
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| House of Representatives (Nepal) | |
|---|---|
| Name | House of Representatives |
| Native name | प्रतिनिधि सभा |
| Legislature | Federal Parliament of Nepal |
| House type | Lower house |
| Established | 2018 (current form) |
| Predecessor | Pratinidhi Sabha |
| Body | Federal Parliament |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Members | 275 |
| Meeting place | International Convention Centre, New Baneshwor |
House of Representatives (Nepal)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Federal Parliament of Nepal and one of the two houses alongside the National Assembly (Nepal), operating under the Constitution of Nepal (2015), the legacy of the Nepalese Civil War settlement and the Comprehensive Peace Accord (2006). It convenes representatives drawn from across provinces such as Province No. 1, Bagmati Province, and Madhesh Province and interfaces with institutions including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the President of Nepal, and the Election Commission of Nepal.
History
The institution evolved from the Pratinidhi Sabha and earlier assemblies like the Rastriya Panchayat following phases in the Nepalese Revolution of 1950s and the People's Movement (1990). The 1990 Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990 created a bicameral Parliament of Nepal that included a directly elected lower house; subsequent political shifts during the Nepalese Civil War and the abolition of the Monarchy of Nepal culminated in the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 and the final Constitution of Nepal (2015), which established the current 275-member configuration. Major events affecting the chamber include the 2008 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and political crises involving parties such as the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre).
Composition and Membership
The House comprises 275 members: 165 elected from single-member constituencies and 110 via proportional representation under national party lists, with mandated representation for groups including Khas Arya, Dalit, Indigenous peoples of Nepal, Madhesi people, and Tharu people as set by the Constitution of Nepal (2015). Parties represented have included the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and regional formations like the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal. Membership criteria reference the Civil Service Act norms and electoral regulations enforced by the Election Commission of Nepal. By-elections and resignations have led to replacements tied to lists maintained by parties such as Nepal Workers Peasants Party and Rastriya Janamorcha.
Powers and Functions
As a legislative chamber, the House exercises authority under provisions in the Constitution of Nepal (2015) to pass bills, approve the budget of Nepal, and oversee the Council of Ministers. It holds prerogatives to initiate money bills, conduct no-confidence motions against the Prime Minister of Nepal, and summon officials from bodies such as the Attorney General of Nepal and the National Human Rights Commission (Nepal). The chamber engages in treaty ratification processes that interface with agreements like those negotiated with neighboring states including India and China, and it participates in constitutional amendment procedures that have historical antecedents in the work of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal.
Electoral System
Members are elected by mixed electoral methods: first-past-the-post in single-member constituencies and closed-list proportional representation nationwide, administered by the Election Commission of Nepal. The delimitation of constituencies follows work by the Constituency Delimitation Commission (2017), and suffrage is defined in line with the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 and subsequent electoral laws influenced by precedents like the 1991 Nepalese general election and the 2008 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election. Campaign finance and party registration are regulated under laws enforced by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and monitored by civil society organizations including Transparency International Nepal.
Leadership and Officers
The House is presided over by a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker elected from among its members; holders of these offices have been drawn from parties such as the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. The Prime Minister, leaders of opposition parties like the Nepali Congress parliamentary party or the CPN-UML parliamentary party, and committee chairs coordinate legislative agendas. Administrative functions are supported by the Secretariat, staffed by officials with links to the Office of the President of Nepal and legal advice from the Attorney General of Nepal.
Parliamentary Procedures and Committees
Proceedings follow standing orders modeled on parliamentary practices with question periods, budget sessions, and special sittings. Specialized committees include the Finance Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the Constitution Committee, and the International Relations and Defence Committee, which engage with agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (Nepal), the Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal), and the Armed Police Force, Nepal. Committees summon witnesses from institutions like the Nepal Police and the Nepal Rastra Bank and produce reports that inform plenary votes and constitutional amendment debates traced back to the Constituent Assembly of Nepal, 2013.
Facilities and Location
The House meets at the parliamentary complex located in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, using facilities in the International Convention Centre and adjacent administrative buildings. The complex is proximate to national institutions such as the Singha Durbar, the Tribhuvan International Airport, and diplomatic missions including the Embassy of India, Kathmandu and the Embassy of China in Nepal. Security arrangements coordinate with the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force, Nepal and access is regulated by the parliamentary secretariat and the Supreme Court of Nepal for legal disputes.
Recent Developments and Political Dynamics
Recent years have seen shifting alliances and realignments among parties including merger attempts between the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre), splits involving leaders like K P Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and the rise of regional actors such as the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Janamat Party. Debates over federalism, representation of Indigenous peoples of Nepal, economic reconstruction post-2015 Nepal earthquake, and relations with India and China have shaped legislative priorities. Constitutional controversies, judicial interventions by the Supreme Court of Nepal, and electoral disputes adjudicated by the Election Commission of Nepal continue to influence the chamber’s composition and agenda.