State Restructuring of Nepal based on the Federal Democratic Republic

Federal : Our country adopted federalism in 2075 BS. Our country is divided into 7 Provinces with One Federal Government. The agenda of federalism came during People Movement II. Basically, federal means a country which has adopted federalism and is divided into states or provinces. After the declaration of Constitution 2075, Nepal was declared as Federal country.

Democratic: Our country got democracy in 2007 BS from the autocratic Rana Regime. After Democracy, people appointed their leaders and formed Interim Constitution 2007 which declared Nepal as Democratic Country.

Republic: Our Country became republic in 2063 BS after the last Shah King Gyanendra resigned from his throne and gave the throne to the people. Later the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063 BS declared our Country Federal Democratic Republic.

State Restructuring in Nepal

 The issue of state restructuring in Nepal came after by the great Nepali people in the people’s Movement 2006 and its achievements, the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 has been promulgated. According to the article 33(4) of the constitution, it has made provision that there will be progressive, inclusive and democratic state restructuring to end the existing centralized and unitary structure of the state including all discriminations based on class, caste, language, gender, culture, religion and region. So the present state must be restructured for complete overhauling of the age old cultural, psychological and economic dependence and malaise of Nepalese society and for establishing institutional development of the democratic republic with appropriate constitutional and structural arrangements so as people’s sovereign power could be exercised from grassroots levels(community, village, setttlements).

Features of Old Nepal

•          75 Districts

•          14 Anchal

•          5 Development Regions

•          One Government (Nepal Sarkar)

•          One Official Language

•          One National Dress

•          One citizenship

•          One bureaucracy

•          Hinduism as a state religion

Features of New Nepal

Constitution of Nepal 2075

Nepal as a Federal Democratic Republic

State to be divided into 7 Provinces

Districts to be redefined

Local Units under province government

Three tiers of Government:1 Federal Government,7 Provincial and Local Government (753Local Units; 6 Metropoliton, 276 Urban Municipalities, 460 Rural Municipality)

More than one provincial state

Federal and provincial bureaucracy

Secular state

Big questions for state restructuring

•          What steps to be taken for making people more powerful to restructure the state in a progressive manner?

•          What helps restructure the state mechanism so as to promote general welfare of the people?

•          How can this process be made more participatory and inclusive?