Kathmandu, April 24: The 20th Democracy Day is being observed across the country today (Baisakh 11) with various programs.
On this day in 2006 (Baisakh 11, 2063 BS), then King Gyanendra reinstated the House of Representatives, which had been dissolved on May 22, 2002 (Jestha 8, 2059 BS), in line with the roadmap of the agitating political parties. The day has been celebrated nationwide as Democracy Day since 2007 (2064 BS) to mark the people’s victory.
Following the dissolution of Parliament in October 2002 (Ashoj 2059 BS), elections could not be held due to the armed conflict. In the absence of elections, the king began appointing and dismissing prime ministers at will.
King Gyanendra appointed and removed three prime ministers in succession: Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Surya Bahadur Thapa, and Sher Bahadur Deuba. After the king assumed direct rule on February 1, 2005 (Magh 19, 2061 BS), a 12-point agreement was reached between the seven-party alliance and the then insurgent CPN (Maoist).
By December 2005 (Mangsir 2062 BS), the 12-point agreement brought previously divided political forces into two camps, accelerating the movement. A decisive protest movement, led by former prime minister and then Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala, gained momentum in March–April 2006 (Falgun–Chaitra 2062 BS).
With the start of the New Year, millions of people took to the streets. As Kathmandu’s Ring Road filled with demonstrators, King Gyanendra agreed to the parties’ roadmap. Based on the draft prepared by the protesting parties, he announced the reinstatement of Parliament on the night of Baisakh 11 and called for its बैठक. This is why the day is observed as Democracy Day, marking the foundation of the republic.
On May 18, 2006 (Jestha 4, 2063 BS), the reinstated Parliament curtailed the powers of the royal palace and suspended the monarchy. It also passed a resolution to bring the Maoists into the peace process and hold Constituent Assembly elections, a move often described as Nepal’s “Magna Carta.”
Building on this foundation, the first Constituent Assembly election was held on April 10, 2008 (Chaitra 28, 2064 BS). At its first meeting on May 28, 2008 (Jestha 15, 2065 BS), the Assembly formally abolished the 240-year-old monarchy.
Although the first Assembly could not promulgate a constitution, it made significant progress. The second Constituent Assembly, elected on November 19, 2013 (Mangsir 4, 2070 BS), promulgated the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on September 20, 2015 (Asoj 3, 2072 BS).
People’s News Monitoring Service
In line with the Constitution, elections at all three levels of government have been held twice, and the system established through the movement is now in operation, with federal, provincial, and local governments running the state.
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