Ten Years of the Constitution: Time for Action, Not Ceremony

To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the promulgation of Nepal’s Constitution, the government has formed a “Main Celebration Committee” under the leadership of the Prime Minister to mark the occasion with a three-day festival on September 18, 19 and 20, and has called upon the public to participate. Nepal’s Constitution, passed by the Constituent Assembly, was promulgated on September 20, 2015. It is natural for the government to show enthusiasm. After all, this Constitution was not gifted by anyone; it was passed by elected representatives through the sovereign authority of the Nepali people. For all citizens who value democracy, it remains a matter of pride and dignity. Yet the irony cannot be ignored. The very leaders who claim credit for drafting the Constitution and who have remained in power since its promulgation have not shown the same seriousness in implementing it as they did in crafting it. In fact, they themselves have repeatedly violated its provisions. If the Constitution has survived so far, it is largely because the Supreme Court has acted as its guardian. The lack of seriousness on the part of the government and political parties in terms of the implementation of the constitution is equally concerning. Even as the country prepares to celebrate a decade of constitution promulgation, the government is yet to enact crucial laws required to fully operationalise the federal system. Provincial governments have been rendered almost defunct due to the federal government’s failure to delegate authority. Our constitution was introduced with a promise to bring meaningful changes to people’s lives. But because those promises were not fulfilled, regressive forces have resurfaced. The revival of royalist forces—and their calls for the abolition of federalism—is a direct outcome of the failure of political parties to deliver.