First and Second Amendments to the Constitution of Nepal 2015
Exam Snapshot
The First Amendment (2072 BS) addressed political demands for inclusive representation in state organs. The Second Amendment (2077 BS) asserted national sovereignty by updating the territorial map in the national emblem.
Core Concept
- First Amendment (2072 BS): Passed to address grievances regarding representation, specifically from Madhesh and Tharu communities. It amended Articles 42, 84, and 286 to ensure proportional inclusion in state bodies and constituency delimitation.
- Second Amendment (2077 BS): Passed to assert Nepal's territorial integrity. It updated Article 9 and the National Emblem in Schedule 3 to include the Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh regions within Nepal's map.
Nepal Law Anchors
- Article 274: The provision governing the procedure for amending the Constitution.
- First Amendment: Promulgated on 2072/11/16.
- Second Amendment: Promulgated on 2077/03/04.
- Schedule 3: Contains the National Emblem, which was updated by the second amendment.
Confusable Terms
| Amendment | Primary Objective | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| First | Socio-political Inclusion | Representation, Quotas |
| Second | Territorial Sovereignty | National Map, Territory |
MCQ Traps
- Date Confusion: MCQs often swap the years; remember 2072 (1st) for Inclusion and 2077 (2nd) for Territory.
- Schedule Confusion: The amendment to the National Emblem (Schedule 3) happened in the Second Amendment, not the first.
- Article Scope: Article 274 is the process, not the substance of the changes.
Example
Following border disputes in the Western region, the Parliament passed the Second Amendment to legally affirm the country's sovereign claim by incorporating those lands into the official National Emblem defined in Schedule 3 of the Constitution.
Memory Hook
'First for the People (Inclusion), Second for the Place (Territory).'
Quick Revision
- First Amendment (2072): Focus on proportionality and inclusion (Articles 42, 84, 286).
- Second Amendment (2077): Focus on territorial integrity (Article 9, Schedule 3).
- Amendment Power: Derived strictly from Article 274.
- Purpose: 1st was conflict resolution; 2nd was national sentiment and sovereignty.