Federalism in a Serious Test

The dramatic events on Monday morning surrounding the appointment of the Chief Minister of Madhesh Province cannot be seen as normal. The controversial move of Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari to appoint UML parliamentary party leader Saroj Kumar Yadav in a resort has cast a long shadow over federalism in Nepal. Although the Supreme Court has barred the new Chief Minister from taking long-term decisions, this episode has undermined democracy and federalism, disregarding constitutional rules and disrespecting institutions. Democratic governance relies on law and established norms. Instead of reinforcing these principles among citizens, this particular action of the Province Chief has further distorted them. Provincial governments are expected to operate within legal frameworks, yet distortions from the federal level have seeped into provincial administrations. Similar dramatic episodes have occurred in Koshi Province earlier. The recent Madhesh event shows how those in power still give preference to force over legality. Despite calls for reform following the Gen Z movement on September 8–9, these incidents confirm that the reform agenda has stalled.