Parliament of Nepal

Parliament of Nepal
Name	Parliament of Nepal
Native name	सङ्घीय संसद नेपाल
Legislature	Federal Parliament
House type	Bicameral
Leader1 type	President of the House of Representatives
Leader2 type	Chairman of the National Assembly
Members	275 (House of Representatives), 59 (National Assembly)
Meeting place	Federal Parliament Building, Kathmandu

Parliament of Nepal is the bicameral federal legislature of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. It consists of two houses that exercise legislative authority, oversight, and budgetary powers within the constitutional framework established after the abolition of the monarchy. The legislature interacts with the President of Nepal, the Prime Minister of Nepal, and a spectrum of political parties and civil institutions to enact laws, ratify treaties, and supervise executive action.

History

The parliamentary tradition in Nepal traces through episodes involving the Rana dynasty, the Nepalese Revolution of 1950–51, and the promulgation of the 1951 interim government following demands by figures linked to B.P. Koirala and the Nepali Congress. The Panchayat system era (established by King Mahendra) suspended party politics until the Nepalese civil rights movement and the 1990 Jana Andolan led to the 1990 Constitution of Nepal and restoration of a constitutional monarchy. The 1996–2006 Nepalese Civil War involving the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) culminated in the 2006 Loktantra Andolan and the Comprehensive Peace Accord, paving the way for the 2008 Constituent Assembly election that abolished the monarchy and declared the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The 2015 Constitution of Nepal established the current bicameral Federal Parliament and federal structure following negotiations among actors such as the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and ethnic movement leaders represented in bodies like the Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum.

Composition and Structure

The legislature comprises a lower chamber, the House of Representatives, and an upper chamber, the National Assembly. The House of Representatives blends first-past-the-post districts and proportional representation; its membership includes representatives from constituencies such as Kathmandu District and Lalitpur District, and parties including Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre). The National Assembly includes members from each Province of Nepal plus presidential nominees; it features staggered terms to ensure continuity similar to practices in legislatures like the Rajya Sabha or the Soviet of Nationalities. Leadership posts interact with offices such as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairperson of the National Assembly. Parliamentary staff work alongside institutions like the Election Commission of Nepal, the Supreme Court of Nepal, and the Office of the Attorney General to support legislative functions.

Powers and Functions

Constitutional powers derive from the Constitution of Nepal (2015), enabling the legislature to make laws on matters allocated to federal jurisdiction, approve the federal budget in coordination with the Ministry of Finance (Nepal), and ratify international agreements including treaties with neighbors such as India and China. The Parliament conducts oversight over the Council of Ministers (Nepal), can pass motions of confidence or no-confidence affecting the Prime Minister of Nepal, and has impeachment mechanisms akin to those involving the President of Nepal and other constitutional officers. It confirms appointments recommended by bodies like the National Human Rights Commission and supervises institutions such as the Nepal Police and agencies previously overseen during transition periods by the United Nations Mission in Nepal.

Legislative Process

Bills may be introduced by members, parliamentary committees, or the Council of Ministers (Nepal); financial bills follow procedures comparable to budgetary practices in legislatures like the Parliament of India and the United Kingdom Parliament. The legislative process involves readings in both houses, committee scrutiny, clause-by-clause consideration, reconciliation of differences through mechanisms like a joint sitting, and final assent by the President of Nepal. Emergency ordinances and transitional arrangements recall precedents from the Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) and events around the 2008 Constituent Assembly when laws required expedited procedures during post-conflict reforms.

Committees

Parliamentary committees include subject-based and oversight committees modeled on international counterparts such as the Standing Committee conventions of other legislatures. Examples include finance, public accounts, and defense-related committees that coordinate with ministries like the Ministry of Defence (Nepal), the Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal), and the Ministry of Health and Population (Nepal). Special committees have addressed constitution drafting and transitional justice, intersecting with mechanisms like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and inquiries into incidents involving groups such as the Royal Nepalese Army. Committee reports inform plenary debates and are referenced by actors including the Nepal Bar Association and civil society organizations such as Nepalese non-governmental organizations.

Elections and Membership

Elections to the House of Representatives are administered by the Election Commission of Nepal under mixed electoral systems; they have followed contests in election years including 1991, 1999, 2008, 2013, 2017, and 2022. The National Assembly uses an electoral college drawn from provincial assemblies and local officials, producing staggered terms similar to practices in upper houses like the Canadian Senate in terms of continuity, though not appointment mechanisms. Members represent constituencies spanning districts like Jhapa District and Mustang District, and parties ranging from the Rastriya Janamorcha to the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist). Eligibility, disqualification, and vacancy rules reference constitutional provisions and have been adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Nepal.

Location and Facilities

The Federal Parliament meets in the Federal Parliament Building complex in Kathmandu, including chambers for the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, committee rooms, and offices for party caucuses. The complex is adjacent to institutions such as the Singha Durbar administrative complex and landmarks like Ratna Park, and it contains facilities for press accreditation, witness testimony, and archival functions linked to the National Archives of Nepal. Security and logistics coordinate with the Nepal Army and the Metropolitan Police for secure sittings and state ceremonies involving guests including envoys accredited to Nepal.

Category:Politics of Nepal