Parties’ constitutional reform priorities before next week’s vote

As Nepal prepares for the  general election next week, constitutional reform has emerged as a central theme across multiple party manifestos. 

The four major parties, the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party (NCP), and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), present divergent visions for the country’s governance, reflecting a spectrum from cautious refinement to systemic overhaul.

The Nepali Congress frames constitutional amendment as a tool to strengthen the existing framework rather than radically alter it. In its Pratigyapatra, the party emphasises that the Constitution is a dynamic document that must evolve to address practical challenges observed over the past decade. 

NC highlights several areas for amendment, including clarifying the form of governance, refining the electoral system, and restructuring the Constitutional Council. 

Although it doesn’t specify which amendment it supports, the party stresses that amendments should be adopted through broad consensus with other political parties and civil society, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy and adoption of changes nationwide.

The UML manifesto is largely silent on specific constitutional amendments. While the party emphasises governance, stability, and economic development, it does not propose explicit changes to the Constitution.

Instead, UML advocates making the Constitution “functional and vibrant in practice,” implying improvements through policy and administrative measures rather than text-based amendments. This cautious approach positions UML as a party seeking refinement and better implementation rather than structural redesign.

The NCP articulates one of the most assertive constitutional agendas. It pledges amendments to ensure political stability, balance of power, and efficient governance.

The party criticises the current electoral system as costly and exclusionary, and proposes simplification and inclusion reforms. The party supports creating a smaller, expert-inclusive federal cabinet, reducing the constitutionally permitted 25-member council, which would require constitutional provisions to be altered.

NCP promises to enact all necessary federalism laws within one year of formation, redistributing authority among federal, provincial, and local governments. The party pledges to restructure provincial governance, ensuring that provincial assemblies and governments are accountable to provincial political parties. This is significant because it implies constitutional and legal amendments to strengthen provincial accountability mechanisms.

Importantly, NCP proposes restructuring the National Assembly to include representation for oppressed classes, marginalised regions, and individuals with distinctive contributions to national life, thereby making the upper house more representative.

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The party also pledges to rationalise overlapping constitutional commissions such as the Adibasi, Tharu, Language, and Inclusive Commissions, equipping them with adequate resources to function effectively.

The RSP presents a reformist and process-oriented approach. Its manifesto proposes initiating a discussion paper within three months of government formation to facilitate nationwide debate on constitutional amendments.

The party envisions directly elected prime ministers and provincial chief ministers, a fully proportional parliament, and separation of powers, including a rule preventing MPs from simultaneously serving as ministers. 

The party also advocates for non-partisan local governments, restructured provincial authority, and clearer delineation of powers across federal tiers. RSP’s agenda highlights constitutional amendment as a vehicle for transparency, meritocracy, and more accountable governance.

Taken together, the manifestos reveal a spectrum of engagement with constitutional change. NC focuses on strengthening and refining the federal system. UML emphasises practical implementation without formal amendment. 

NCP advocates structural transformation at the federal, provincial, and parliamentary levels, and RSP calls for a participatory reform process with direct elections and non-partisan local governance.

All four, however, recognise the centrality of constitutional arrangements to effective governance and citizen trust.

As Nepal heads to the polls next week, the realisation of these constitutional pledges will hinge on electoral outcomes and post-election alliances. Amendments require a two-thirds majority in both houses, making broad political consensus essential. 

What is clear, however, is that constitutional reform has firmly entered the political agenda, with voters now confronted not only with choices about party platforms but with the future shape of the Nepali state itself.