Nepal's Government Formation Process Officially Begins with Election Report Submission
The process of forming a new government in Nepal has formally commenced, following the submission of the final election report by the Election Commission to President Ram Chandra Paudel. This pivotal step marks the conclusion of the general elections and sets the stage for the appointment of a Prime Minister under constitutional provisions.
Election Commission Presents Report to President
On Thursday, Ram Prasad Bhandari, the officiating Chief Election Commissioner, presented the comprehensive poll report to President Paudel during a special ceremony held at the Office of the President, Shital Niwas. The report includes the definitive list of 275 members elected to the House of Representatives through both the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation (PR) systems.
President Paudel expressed his satisfaction with the successful conduct of the elections, acknowledging that they were carried out with dedication and integrity despite facing "difficult and complex circumstances." This submission fulfills the constitutional requirement for the Election Commission to deliver its findings within seven days of the final results announcement, thereby clearing the path for the President to initiate government formation procedures.
Distribution of Certificates and Party Allocations
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission also distributed certificates to lawmakers elected under the PR system in the recent House of Representatives elections. A total of 110 lawmakers were elected through this system, with the distribution ceremony attended by officiating Chief Election Commissioner Bhandari, Commissioners Janaki Kumari Tuladhar and Sagun Shumsher JB Rana, and Election Commission Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut.
The PR system results, announced on March 16, allocated seats as follows:
- Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP): 57 lawmakers
- Nepali Congress (NC): 20 lawmakers
- CPN (UML): 16 lawmakers
- Nepali Communist Party (NCP): 9 lawmakers
- Shram Sanskriti Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP): 4 lawmakers each
Under the FPTP system, the RSP secured a dominant 125 seats, followed by the NC with 19, UML with 9, NCP with 8, Shram Sanskriti Party with 3, RPP with 1, and one independent candidate. This gives the RSP a near two-thirds majority in the 275-member House of Representatives, which comprises 165 FPTP and 110 PR members.
Balendra 'Balen' Shah Poised for Prime Ministership
Structural engineer, rapper, and former Mayor of Kathmandu, Balendra 'Balen' Shah, is projected to become the next Prime Minister of Nepal. The RSP has designated Shah as its prime ministerial candidate, and as per constitutional requirements under Article 76(1), the President shall appoint the leader of the parliamentary party commanding a majority in the House of Representatives as Prime Minister.
This marks a historic moment, as it is the first time since the promulgation of the Constitution that a single party with a clear majority will form a government under this provision. The RSP is preparing to appoint Shah as its parliamentary leader, with a formal announcement expected after the weekend.
Statements from Newly Elected MPs
Newly elected MPs shared their perspectives on the upcoming parliamentary responsibilities. Anushka Shrestha, Miss Nepal 2019 and a newly elected MP, stated, "We have so much to tackle, from the most basic things of justice, security, and safety to more complex problems related to development. We've got so much to address, but we are very confident that the team we have will be able to handle all issues, from foundational to growth-related ones."
Purushottam Yadav, a September 8 protest organiser and newly elected MP, emphasized continuity in advocacy, saying, "Just the locations where we were standing have changed. On September 8, we were at the Maitighar Mandala protesting, and next we'll be in Parliament addressing the sessions. Only the place where we stand has changed, not the nature. We will remain vocal in Parliament, as we were on September 8. If the ruling party makes any mistakes, we will raise our voice and be very vocal about it."
Constitutional Procedures and Upcoming Steps
With the submission of the final poll report, President Paudel will now call for government formation under Article 76 of the Constitution of Nepal. According to Article 93(1), the President must convene a session of the Federal Parliament within 30 days of the announcement of final results. The first meeting of the House of Representatives will be chaired by the senior-most member, initiating the process to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker within seven days.
The Federal Parliament Secretariat has scheduled the oath-taking ceremony for newly elected lawmakers on March 26. Upcoming parliamentary sessions are expected to be held at the newly constructed Parliament building in Singha Durbar, symbolizing a new chapter in Nepal's democratic governance.
