Federal Parliament: House of Representatives & National Assembly
Exam Snapshot
Nepal's Federal Parliament (Sanghiya Sansad) is a bicameral legislature, crucial for TU LLB entrance. It consists of the House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) and the National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha). Expect MCQs on member counts, election methods, tenure, and specific constitutional articles.
Core Concept
Article 83 of the Constitution of Nepal establishes the Federal Parliament, designed for broad representation and legislative checks and balances.
House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha)
- Total Members: 275
- Election System (Article 84): 165 members (FPTP) + 110 members (Proportional Representation - PR).
- Tenure: 5 years (unless dissolved earlier).
- Key Role: Government formation, budget, primary legislation.
National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha)
- Total Members: 59
- Election System (Article 86): 56 members via electoral college (8 per province: 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 disabled/minority, 3 others) + 3 nominated by President on CoM recommendation.
- Tenure: 6 years. It is a permanent house; one-third of its members' tenure expires every two years.
- Key Role: Legislation review, stability, diverse representation.
Nepal Law Anchors
- Constitution of Nepal, Part 8 (Articles 83-93): Establishes the Federal Parliament.
- Article 83: Bicameral Federal Parliament.
- Article 84: Composition of the House of Representatives.
- Article 86: Composition and term of the National Assembly.
Confusable Terms
| Feature | House of Representatives (HoR) | National Assembly (NA) |
|---|---|---|
| Members | 275 | 59 |
| Type | FPTP & PR | Electoral College & Nominated |
| Tenure | 5 years | 6 years (permanent) |
| Dissolution | Can be dissolved | Cannot be dissolved |
MCQ Traps
- "National Assembly has 60 members." FALSE. It has 59.
- "House of Representatives is permanent." FALSE. It is the National Assembly that is permanent.
- "Nominated members in NA are 5." FALSE. It is 3 by the President on CoM recommendation.
Example
Question: How many members of the HoR are elected through the Proportional Representation system? Correct Answer: 110 (Article 84(1)(b)).
Memory Hook
- HoR: High number (275), Heard directly by people (FPTP/PR), Has a shorter term (5 years).
- NA: Nice and stable (permanent house), Nominated (3), Nine-ish (59 total, 8 per province).
Quick Revision
- Parliament: Bicameral (HoR + NA), Article 83.
- HoR: 275 members, 5-yr term, dissolvable.
- NA: 59 members, 6-yr term (permanent), rotational retirement.
- NA per province: 8 members (3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 disabled/minority, 3 others).