Nepal's Seven Constitutions Compared Side by Side (1948–2015)
Exam Snapshot
Nepal has experienced seven different constitutions since 2004 B.S. (1948 A.D.). Understanding the shifting loci of sovereignty, changing forms of legislature, and structural evolution across these documents is crucial for high-scoring MCQ performance.
Core Concept
Nepal's constitutional development reflects its journey from absolute Rana oligarchy and monarchical hegemony to a secular, federal democratic republic.
| No. | Constitution | Promulgation Date (B.S.) | Promulgated By | Sovereign Power | Structural Units | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Govt. of Nepal Act, 2004 | 2004 Magh 13 | Padma Shumsher | Shri 3 Maharaj | 6 Parts, 68 Articles | First written constitution; never implemented |
| 2 | Interim Govt. of Nepal Act, 2007 | 2007 Chaitra 17 | King Tribhuvan | King | 7 Parts, 73 Articles, 1 Schedule | First implemented constitution; introduced Directive Principles |
| 3 | Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2015 | 2015 Falgun 1 | King Mahendra | King | 10 Parts, 77 Articles, 3 Schedules | Parliamentary system with bicameral legislature |
| 4 | Constitution of Nepal, 2019 | 2019 Poush 1 | King Mahendra | King | 20 Parts, 97 Articles, 6 Schedules | Partyless Panchayat System; unicameral legislature |
| 5 | Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2047 | 2047 Kartik 23 | King Birendra | People & King | 23 Parts, 133 Articles, 3 Schedules | Sovereignty vested in the Nepalese people |
| 6 | Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2063 | 2063 Magh 1 | House of Rep. | Nepalese People | 25 Parts, 167 Articles, 4 Schedules | Declared Nepal secular; established Constituent Assembly |
| 7 | Constitution of Nepal (2072) | 2072 Ashwin 3 | President (via CA) | Nepalese People | 35 Parts, 308 Articles, 9 Schedules | Federalism; 3 tiers of government; secular republic |
Nepal Law Anchors
- 2004 Act: Formulated under the advice of Indian constitutional experts (Raghunath Prasad Shastry and others).
- 2007 Act: Retained executive power in the King but established advisory assemblies.
- 2015 Constitution: Drafted by a commission led by Bhagawati Prasad Singh, assisted by British expert Sir Ivor Jennings.
- 2047 Constitution: Formulated by the Constitution Recommendation Commission headed by Vishwanath Upadhyaya.
- 2063 Constitution: Promulgated following the 2062/63 People's Movement to manage the transitional peace process.
- 2072 Constitution: Promulgated by the second Constituent Assembly on 2072 Ashwin 3.
Confusable Terms
- Sovereignty: Placed solely in the King in the 2015 and 2019 Constitutions; shared between King and People in 2047; vested solely in the People in 2063 and 2072.
- Unicameral vs. Bicameral: The 2019 and 2063 constitutions had unicameral legislatures. The 2015, 2047, and 2072 constitutions established bicameral legislatures.
- First Written vs. First Implemented: The 2004 B.S. constitution was the first written, but the 2007 B.S. constitution was the first actually implemented in practice.
MCQ Traps
- Trap: "Which constitution first declared Nepal a Hindu Kingdom?"
- Correct: The 2019 B.S. Constitution was the first to explicitly define Nepal as a Hindu Kingdom (Article 3(1)). It was not the 2015 or 2047 constitution.
- Trap: "Who promulgated the 2072 Constitution?"
- Correct: President Ram Baran Yadav announced its promulgation on behalf of the Constituent Assembly. It was not promulgated by the Prime Minister.
- Trap: "Was sovereignty vested in the people in 1990 (2047 B.S.)?"
- Correct: Article 3 of the 2047 Constitution vested sovereignty in the Nepalese people, but some executive powers still resided with the monarch, leading to dual authority debates.
Example
An entrance exam question might ask:
"Under which constitution was the supreme legislative body first called the Constituent Assembly?"
- Wrong answer choice: Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2047.
- Correct answer choice: Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2063 (which established the first unicameral Constituent Assembly tasked with writing the next constitution).
Memory Hook
- Structure Trend: 68 (2004) -> 73 (2007) -> 77 (2015) -> 97 (2019) -> 133 (2047) -> 167 (2063) -> 308 (2072). Note how the total count of articles has steadily increased over Nepal's constitutional history!
Quick Revision
- First Constitution: 2004 B.S. (Promulgated by Padma Shumsher, unimplemented).
- First Implemented: 2007 B.S. (Promulgated by King Tribhuvan after the fall of Ranas).
- Partyless Panchayat: 2019 B.S. (Promulgated by King Mahendra, established unicameral system).
- Restoration of Democracy: 2047 B.S. (Promulgated by King Birendra, bicameral).
- Secularism & CA: 2063 B.S. (Declared secularism, paved way for CA election).
- Current Constitution: 2072 B.S. (First drafted by the elected representatives of the people via CA).