Salient Features

The following are the salient features of the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063 BS.

1. Document of Political consensus: The constitution was formulated and promulgated as a political consensus reached between the then Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoist.
2. Formulated as per the popular wish: It was formulated as per the mandate expressed by people through the popular movement II for democracy, peace and progress of the nation. It is the first constitution to be promulgated by the people.
3. State power and sovereignty inherent in people: As laid in the preamble, the state power and sovereignty of Nepal is inherent in people.
4. The executive power inherent in the Council of Ministers: This constitution authorizes the Prime Minister, chosen by the legislature, as the chief executive. The President remains just a nominal head of state.
5. Establishment of secularism and republication: According to Article 4 of the constitution, Nepal is an 'independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular, inclusive and fully democratic state.' The fourth amendment of the constitution declared Nepal 'a federal democratic republican state.' The implementation of which was approved by the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on 15 Jestha 2065.
6. Unicameral legislative parliament: Originally, the interim constitution provided for a unicameral legislative parliament consisting of 330 members. The parliament was represented by the parties in the seven Party Alliance, the Maoists as well as some smaller parties. Later at the turn of 2064 BS, it was replaced by the 601-member elected Constituent Assembly that also acted as the legislative parliament.
7. Recognition of the National Human Rights Commission as a constitutional organ: According to the provision made, part 15 of the constitution, the National Human Rights Commission has been recognized as a constitution organ of Nepal.
8. Guarantee of more fundamental rights:This constitution of the first time in Nepalese History enshrines the fundamental rights such as Right against Untouchability and Discrimination on Caste, Right regarding Environment and Health, Women's right, Right to Social justice, Children Rights and Right to Employment and security. We will Learn about their provisions in the next lesson.
9. Provision for the election to Constituent Assembly:As stated in the preamble of the constitution, this constitution was to work for until the promulgation of a new constitution and to function towards this specific missionary process of making a new truly democratic constitution.
10. The multi-party democratic system of government: This constitution provides for the competitive multi-party democratic system of government. In other words, the constitution enshrines the parliamentary democratic system of government in which a parliament member is the head of the Council of Ministers and the council is responsible to the parliament, so directly to the people.