Rastriya Panchayat

Rastriya Panchayat राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायत
Legislature of the Kingdom of Nepal
Type
Type	Unicameral
Sovereign	King of Nepal
History
Founded	16 December 1962
Disbanded	9 November 1990
Preceded by	Parliament of Nepal
Succeeded by	Parliament of Nepal
Seats	105 elected up to 16 nominated 112 elected 28 nominated
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
First election	March and April 1963
Last election	12 May 1986
Meeting place
Gallery Baithak, Kathmandu
Constitution
Constitution of Nepal, 1962

The Rastriya Panchayat (Nepali: राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायत; transl. National Council) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Nepal from during the panchayat era from 1962 to 1990. Following the 1960 coup by King Mahendra, the enactment of the Constitution of 1962, made the Rastriya Panchayat the supreme legislative body in the country, replacing the Parliament of Nepal.[1]

Under the Constitution of Nepal 1962, there were indirect elections to the Rastriya Panchayat. The 1980 referendum voted in favor of a reformed Rastriya Panchayat and consequently, members were directly elected.[2]

The Rastriya Panchayat ceased to exist after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal, 1990 following the 1990 revolution.

Responsibilities

The Rastriya Panchayat's responsibilities were considered somewhere in between the Royal Council and a parliament. The council had the right to discuss any subject except the conduct of the monarchy, actions of Supreme Court judges and any outstanding legal cases. The Rastriya Panchayat had legislative powers but the king had unchangeable veto powers under the Panchayat system. It also did not have the power to bring any legislation pertaining to the Royal Nepal Army without the approval of the king. The prime minister and the council of ministers was also appointed by the king from amongst the member of the Rastriya Panchayat.[3][4]

Electoral system

The Constitution of Nepal, 1962 created a four-tier panchayat system. The constitution outlawed organized politics and banned all political parties. Consequently, the elections to the assembly followed non-partisan democratic principles.[1]

The village and town panchayats were the base of the system with directly elected members. The local panchayats then voted for members to the district panchayat. The zonal assembly included all the members of the district panchayats in that zone who then elected members from amongst the assembly members to the Rastriya Panchayat. Various class and professional organisations also elected members to the council. The fourteen zonal assemblies elected ninety members and the central committees of five of the seven class organisations elected another fifteen to the Rastriya Panchayat. Four members were elected from among people that had completed post-secondary education. The king had the right to nominate members up to fifteen percent of the total elected members. The members elected from the zonal assembly had a term of six years and the members elected by the organisations and nominated members had a term of four years.[2][3][4] A 1968 amendment to the constitution added staggered terms for members elected by zonal assemblies, so that one-third of the members were elected every two years.

Composition of the Rastriya Panchayat (1963–81)[5]

Elected by	Members
Zonal Assemblies	90
Peasants' Organisation	4
Youth Organisation	4
Women's Organisation	3
Ex-Servicemen's Organisation	2
Workers' Organisation	2
Graduates' Constituency	4
Nominated by the King	16

After the 1980 referendum, the elections to the Rastriya Panchayat were reformed. Members were elected through direct voting with 40 two-member districts and 35 single member districts. The King nominated 28 members to the council.[6]

Chair

Gallery Baithak, the meeting place of the Rastriya Panchayat

The chair and vice-chair of the Rastriya Panchayat were appointed by the King on the recommendation of the Rastriya Panchayat from among its members for two year terms.

No.	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Bishwa Bandhu Thapa	19 April 1963[7]	5 July 1964[8]	1 year, 77 days
2	Rajeshwor Devkota	9 July 1964[9]	14 April 1965[10]	279 days
		19 April 1965[11]	27 March 1967[12]	1 year, 342 days
3	Nagendra Prasad Rijal	11 June 1967[13]	13 April 1968[14]	307 days
4	Lalit Chand	28 June 1968[15]	14 April 1970	1 year, 290 days
5	Ram Hari Sharma	26 June 1970[16]	14 April 1971	292 days
6	Rajeshwor Devkota[17]	27 June 1971[18]	9 March 1972[19]	256 days
7	Nagendra Prasad Rijal[17]	19 June 1972[20]	16 July 1973[21]	1 year, 27 days
(Acting)	Dambar Bahadur Basnet[17]	16 July 1973	10 February 1974	209 days
8	Nain Bahadur Swar[22][23]	10 February 1974[24]	13 April 1976	2 years, 63 days
9	Ram Hari Sharma[25]	17 June 1976[26]	13 June 1980[27]	3 years, 362 days
(Acting)	Matrika Prasad Koirala	17 June 1980[28]	18 June 1980	1 day
10	Lokendra Bahadur Chand[29]	18 June 1980[30]	1981	9 months
Chair of the Reformed Rastriya Panchayat
11	Marich Man Singh Shrestha	12 June 1981[31]	29 March 1986[32]	4 years, 290 days
(Acting)	Drona Shamsher J.B.R.	8 June 1986[33]	11 June 1986	3 days
13	Nava Raj Subedi[34][35]	11 June 1986[36]	16 April 1990[37]	3 years, 309 days

The chair and the vice-chair were supported by a twenty one member Steering Committee which advised with regard to proper conduct of business and other matters related to the Rastriya Panchayat.

See also

• List of members elected in the 1981 Nepalese general election
• List of members elected in the 1986 Nepalese general election

References

1. Schoenfeld, Benjamin N. (1963). "Nepal's Constitution: Model 1962". The Indian Journal of Political Science. 24 (4): 326–336. ISSN 0019-5510.
2. Phadnis, Urmila (1981). "Nepal: The Politics of Referendum". Pacific Affairs. 54 (3): 431–454. doi:10.2307/2756788. ISSN 0030-851X.
3. Joshi, Bhuwan Lal; Rose, Leo E. (2023-04-28). Democratic Innovations in Nepal: A Case Study of Political Acculturation (1 ed.). University of California Press. doi:10.2307/jj.2430528. ISBN 978-0-520-32405-3.
4. Rose, Leo E. (1963). "The Himalayan Border States: 'Buffers' in Transition". Asian Survey. 3 (2): 116–122. doi:10.2307/3023683. ISSN 0004-4687.
5. Whelpton, John (2005). A history of Nepal. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-80026-6.
6. Heck, Douglas (1981). "Nepal in 1980: The Year of the Referendum". Asian Survey. 21 (2): 181–187. doi:10.2307/2643763. ISSN 0004-4687.
7. राष्ट्रिय पंन्चायतको अध्यक्षमा नियूक्त [National Panchayat chairman appointment] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 19 April 1963. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
8. माननीय अध्यक्ष श्री बिश्वबन्धु थापालाई मन्त्रीपरिषद्को उपाध्यक्षमा नियुक्ति [Honorable Chairman Mr. Bishow Bandhu Thapa appointed as Vice-President of the Council of Ministers] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 5 July 1964. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
9. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायत अध्यक्ष पदमा श्री राजेश्वरप्रसाद देवकोटालाई नियुक्त गरेको [Mr. Rajeshwor Prasad Devkota appointed as the chair of the Rastriya Panchayat] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 9 July 1964.
10. राजदरबारको विज्ञप्ति [Notice from the Royal Palace] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 14 April 1965.
11. राजदरबारको विज्ञप्ति नियुक्ति सम्बन्धी [Notice from the Royal Palace on an appointment] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 19 April 1965.
12. राष्ट्रिय पंचायतको सदस्यताको अवधि समाप्त भएको बारे [Term expiration of National Panchayat member] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 27 March 1967.
13. श्री ५ महाराजधिराजका प्रमुख सचिवालय राजदरबारको सूचना नियूत्ति [Notification of Appointment by Chief Secretariat of the Palace of His Majesty the King] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 11 June 1967.
14. राजदरबारको सूचना प्रकाशन [Publication of Notice by Royal Palace] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 13 April 1968.
15. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतको अध्यक्ष पदमा श्री ललितचन्दलाई नियुक्ति गरिबक्सेको [Mr. Lalit Chand appointed as chair of the Rastriya Panchayat] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 26 June 1968.
16. रामहरी शर्मालाइ राष्ट्रिय पंचायतको अध्यक्ष तोकीएको [Ramhari Sharma appointed as chair of Rastriya Panchayat] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 26 June 1970.
17. "Inter-parliamentary Bulletin: Official Publication of the Bureau of the Inter-parliamentary Union". The Bureau. 1971.
18. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चागतको अध्यक्ष पदमा श्री राजेश्वर देवकोटालाई नियुक्ति गरिबक्सेको [Appointment of Mr. Rajeshwor Devkota as chair of the Rastriya Panchayat] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 27 June 1971.
19. श्री राजेश्वर देवकोटाले रा प्र को अध्यक्ष पदबाट दिएको राजिनामा स्वीकृत गरिबक्सेको [Acceptance of Rastriya Panchat chair, Mr. Rajeshwor Devkota's resignation] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 9 March 1972.
20. २०२९ सालको नेपाल राजपत्रको विषयसूची [2029 B.S. Nepal Gazette Contents] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 12 April 1973.
21. श्री डम्बर बहादुर बस्नेलाई रा प को सबै कार्य गर्न अधिकृत गरिबक्सेको [Assigment of all duties of the National Panchayat to Mr. Dambar Bahadur Basnet] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 16 July 1973.
22. "Bulletin of the Inter-parliamentary Union". The Union. 1974.
23. "Nepal Press Report". Regmi Research Project. July 20, 1975 – via Google Books.
24. श्री ५ महाराजाधिराजबाट राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतको अध्यक्ष पदमा राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतका सदस्य श्री नैनबहादुर स्वाँरलाई नियुक्त गरिबक्सेको [His Majesty appointed Rastriya Panchayat member Mr. Nain Bahadur Swar as the chairman of the Rastriya Panchayat] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 10 February 1974.
25. "Nepal Press Digest". Regmi Research Project. July 20, 1976 – via Google Books.
26. परिशिष्ट (क) २०३३ सालको नेपाल राजपत्रको विषयसूची [Appendix (A) Contents of Nepal Gazette of 2033 B.S.] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 17 June 1976.
27. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतका सदस्यहरुको पदावधि समाप्त भएको [Expiration of term of National Panchayat members] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 14 June 1980.
28. मात्रृकाप्रसाद कोइरालालाइ राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतको अध्यक्ष तोकीएको [Matrika Prasad Koirala appointed as Rastriya Panchayat chair] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 17 June 1980.
29. "Inter-parliamentary Bulletin: Official Publication of the Bureau of the Inter-parliamentary Union". The Bureau. 1980.
30. लोकेन्द्रबहादुर चन्दलाइ राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतको अध्यक्ष तोकेको [Lokendra Bahadur Chand appointed as National Panchayat chairman] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 18 June 1980.
31. राष्ट्रिय पंचायतको अध्यक्षमा मरिचमानलाई निक्युत [Marichman Singh appointed as Rastriya Panchayat chair] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 12 June 1981.
32. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतका अध्यक्ष तथा उपाध्यक्षको राजीनामा स्वीकृत [Resignation of National Panchayat chair and vice-chair accepted] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 29 March 1986.
33. द्रोणशम्शेर ज व रा लाई राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायत अध्यक्षता तोकेको [Drona Shamsher J B R appointed as National Panchayat chair] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 8 June 1986.
34. Vaidya, Ratnakamala (2001). "Nepal in Political Crisis". Systematic Printing Service.
35. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1990Mar-Dec". HathiTrust. hdl:2027/osu.32435083692814.
36. राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायतका अध्यक्ष पदमा नवराज सूवेदीलाई नियूक्त गरिबक्सेको [Navaraj Subedi appointed as National Panchayat chair] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 11 June 1986.
37. श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाहदेवबाट विक्रम सम्बत् २०४७ साल बैशाख ३ गते राष्ट्रका नाममा बक्सेको शाही घोषणा [Royal Proclamation in the name of the Kingdom from His Majesty the King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah on 2047 Baisakh 3 B.S.] (Report) (in Nepali). Nepal Gazette. 16 April 1990.