1. Form of Government

• Nepal is a federal democratic republic.
• Declared a republic in 2008, abolishing the monarchy.
• The Constitution of Nepal (2015) is the current supreme law.

2. Key Features of the Constitution (2015)

• Federalism: Nepal is divided into 7 provinces with elected provincial governments.
• Parliamentary system: Bicameral federal parliament –
  • House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) → directly elected.
  • National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha) → indirectly elected.
• Executive: The Prime Minister is head of government; the President is head of state (largely ceremonial, with some constitutional powers).
• Independent Judiciary: Supreme Court is the apex body.
• Fundamental rights: Strong guarantees for equality, social justice, and inclusion.

3. Democracy in Nepal

• Nepal has transitioned through various democratic experiments:
  • 1951: End of Rana autocracy, start of democratic politics.
  • 1990: People’s Movement → constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy.
  • 2006: People’s Movement II → monarchy weakened.
  • 2008: Abolition of monarchy → declaration of republic.
• Nepal today is a multi-party democracy with proportional representation to ensure inclusion of women, Dalits, Madhesis, Janajatis, and other marginalized groups.

4. Current Political Challenges

• Frequent government instability due to coalition politics.
• Tensions between federal, provincial, and local governments over power-sharing.
• Ethnic and identity-based demands (Madhesi, Janajati, etc.).
• Balancing relations between India and China while maintaining sovereignty.

5. Democratic Achievements

• Peaceful transition from monarchy to republic.
• Successful federal, provincial, and local elections under the 2015 Constitution.
• Strong participation of marginalized groups and women (reserved seats).