Kathmandu, April 28: A government-formed task force working on a concept paper for constitutional amendments held consultations with legal and constitutional experts on Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar.
Led by the prime minister’s political advisor Ashim Shah, the team engaged specialists to gather input on key areas that may require revision. Member secretary Leeladhar Subedi opened the session with a presentation outlining major issues under review, including the system of governance, the electoral framework, and voting rights for Nepalis living abroad.
The discussion expanded into a wide range of structural and institutional concerns. Participants examined proposals such as introducing a directly elected president, selecting judges through competitive processes, addressing corruption within the judiciary, and improving the functioning of federalism. They also debated reforms in public administration, the roles of the National Assembly’s leadership, accountability at the local level, and the idea of keeping local governments free from party politics.
Concerns around the judiciary featured heavily. Experts called for a more capable and independent system, restructuring of the Judicial Council, and a review of the number and appointment process of constitutional bodies.
Constitutional expert Purna Man Shakya stressed that any amendment effort must respect the basic structure and spirit of the constitution. Dr Bipin Adhikari argued for a clearly defined parliamentary system, suggesting the prime minister should have the authority to dissolve parliament when necessary.
Former lawmaker and constitutional expert Radheshyam Adhikari emphasised that revisions to the constitution require careful and broad-based deliberation, noting that the document forms the core link between the state and its citizens.
Senior advocate Mira Dhungana pointed to the need for clearer provisions on women’s rights. Meanwhile, senior advocate Tikaram Bhattarai questioned the legitimacy of the task force itself, arguing that it lacks constitutional grounding and should ideally be led by a member of the federal parliament.
Senior advocate Shambhu Thapa noted that while the issues raised were relevant, any changes must ultimately be endorsed by parliament. Advocate Govind Sharma highlighted the need to end political interference in the judiciary.
Wrapping up the meeting, coordinator Shah thanked the participants and said their recommendations would be incorporated into the draft concept paper.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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