By Narayan Prasad Mishra
Nepal is a country rich in constitutions but poor in progress. Since 1948, we have had no fewer than seven constitutions—1948, 1951, 1959, 1962, 1990, 2007, and 2015. Each was born with promises of freedom, rights, and development. Yet after decades of experiments, Nepal remains trapped in poverty, corruption, and political paralysis. We have become experts in drafting constitutions, but we have failed in implementing them. The irony is stark: while our constitutional history has grown richer, our national development has decayed.
King Mahendra’s Courageous Gamble
The events of December 15, 1960 (Poush 1, 2017 B.S.) remain a defining moment in Nepal’s political history. On that day, King Mahendra dissolved Parliament and dismissed Prime Minister B. P. Koirala’s democratically elected government. Critics called it a “Royal Coup.” Supporters hailed it as a “historic step.”
Koirala was a respected and visionary leader, but his government was not immune to nepotism, favoritism, and factionalism. Discontent spread among opposition parties, and even within Congress itself. King Mahendra concluded that the multiparty system would never allow stability or development—it would only foster endless conflict. In its place, he introduced the Panchayat System—a partyless system with elections, a parliament, and an elected government. It was designed to move away from divisive party politics and focus on development.
At the time, many—including myself as a young man—saw it as undemocratic, a tool for the King to tighten his grip on power. Yet, with the benefit of hindsight, one cannot deny that the Panchayat years produced notable results in infrastructure, education, health, communications, culture, and many more. Free from constant party squabbles, the government could act decisively. Had the Panchayat been reformed to adapt with time and included broader political participation, it might have offered Nepal a stable path forward.
Multiparty Democracy and Its Failures
The 1990 People’s Movement ended the Panchayat System and restored multiparty democracy. Another revolution in 2006 abolished the monarchy altogether, ushering in a republican system. But after three decades of multiparty rule, Nepal finds itself in the same position King Mahendra warned about sixty years ago. Instead of development, we have endured endless political instability—Parliament dissolutions, midterm elections, and constant infighting between parties and factions. Billions of rupees have been wasted, while public welfare stagnates.
Fundamental rights, human rights, and civil rights—beautifully written into the Constitution—remain primarily on paper. Governance is weak. Corruption is rampant, from land offices to municipalities, from tax departments to ministries. Bribes, whether large or small, have become the price of everyday life. Ordinary people struggle under the rising costs of food, education, and healthcare.
Meanwhile, leaders engage in power struggles that resemble a modern-day Mahabharata, with the people divided into factions like Pandavas and Kauravas, unquestioningly following leaders like herds of sheep—even to their own detriment. Moreover, some honest parliamentarians who belonged to the parties in government had to speak against the government, as their inner conscience pushed them to put the truth in God’s name.
Recent Revolution
However, the conscious leaders did not pay any attention to it. We saw the result: unimaginable protests appeared in the country, which we must call a historical movement or revolution against corruption, suppression, oppression, unlimited irregularities, and misgovernance. It was heartbreaking to see the loss of lives of dozens of young kids due to the mishandling and bullets of the government, and also the vandalism, manhandling, and damage to private and national property because of it. We can easily imagine that if a large number of the members of the then parliament had shown their conscience to see the reality of the declining situation of the country—if they had not enjoyed the share of the irregularities, corruption, and misgovernance with joy and happiness—that situation would not have come.
Interim Government
I am happy to see the new government formed under the premiership of Madam Sushila Karki, the respected ex-chief justice, after the collapse of the Oli government. I am also happy to take this opportunity to congratulate her as my country’s honorable prime minister. However, the way towards the country’s future is not yet clear. According to the reported news, the election will be held on March 5, 2026 (Fagun 21, 2082). I do not see any hope of getting any advantage for the people and the country by just having an election without any change in the constitution. That would be a great betrayal of the people and the nation who wanted change in the country for good governance, justice, equality, and freedom from the corrupt dictatorship of the political parties. There must be some remedy to get away from that. The primary necessity is to reform the constitution with some significant changes in the election processes to make it free from any influence—foreign power, money, muscle power, gang power, etc.—besides the change for having a non-political national head (non-political president or ceremonial king), and some reform in the government machinery and local administration. Without it, it will not bring any good change. That is certain. Whether we adopt a republic or constitutional monarchy, a powerful president or prime minister, matters less than building a system that delivers stability, justice, and development.
A Call for Nepalbadi Thinking
Nepal must move beyond imported political dogmas—whether socialism, communism, or Western-style liberal democracy. What we need is a Nepalbadi system: a framework designed for Nepali realities, culture, and aspirations. Such a system must guarantee equal rights, justice, and opportunities for all citizens. It must prioritize good governance, corruption-free administration, and development that improves the quality of life—affordable healthcare, quality education, and fair economic opportunities. We have tried multiparty democracy for thirty years, and the results are clear. Unless our leaders develop an authentic democratic culture—one that respects law, rights, and equality—multiparty democracy will remain a hollow shell, a decorated dress without substance. Nepal has seen constitutional growth alongside national decline. The tragedy is not that we lack ideas, but that we lack the honesty to admit what has failed, and the courage to design what truly suits us.
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