The Powerless King of Nepal

[che_diwas]

Highlights of the House of Representatives Proclamation 2006


Related to legislature:


1. The House of Representatives (HoR) will exercise all legislative powers of the country.

2. The HoR will decide the process towards moving to the Constituent Assembly.

Related to the Executive:

3. The entire executive authority of the state of Nepal shall reside in the council of ministers. His Majesty’s Government will henceforth be called as the “Government of Nepal.”

A person, who is not a member of the HoR, can also be appointed as a member of the cabinet.
Related to the Army:

5. The name of the Royal Nepalese Army has been changed as “Nepali Army”

6. Existing provisions related to the National Security Council have been scrapped. A National Security Council will be constituted to control, use and mobilize the Nepali Army under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.

7. The council of ministers will appoint the Commander-in-Chief of the Nepali Army.

8. Existing provisions related to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army have been scrapped.

9. The organization of the Nepali Army will be of inclusive and national in nature.

Related to the Raj Parishad (Advisory council of the King):

10. Existing provisions related to Raj Parishad have been abolished. Necessary activities being carried out by the Raj Parishad will be undertaken as managed by the HoR.

Related to the Royal Palace:

11. House of Representatives will have the right to formulate, amend or annul the law related to the succession to the throne.

12. The HoR will decide about the expenses and privileges of the king.

13. Tax will be imposed on the private property and income of the king in accordance with law.

14. Questions may be raised in the court and HoR regarding the activities of the king.

15. The existing Royal Household Service will be made part of the civil service.

16. The security of the royal palace will be managed as stipulated by the council of ministers.

Miscellaneous:

17. Nepal will be a secular state. There will be no more any Hindu State in the entire world.

18. An alternative arrangement will be made so as to change the existing “national anthem.”

19. All organs and agencies of the state shall remain dutiful towards the HoR and exercise their right by realizing that their right emanates from the HoR.

20. Existing provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 and other laws – that are in contravention with the HoR Proclamation—will be declared null and void to the extent they contravene with this proclamation.

21. HoR will take decisions to resolve any problems that may come across towards implementing this proclamation.

[RedAnarchist]

I'm glad that they've pruned the tree, but the tree is seriously diseased and needs to be chopped down. This is only the start of the end.

[Cheung Mo]

The bourgeois centre-left is too scared of the Maoists to fuck around the way that they did in 1990. The situation in Nepal will not reach a level that can be called acceptable, but it is going to improve.

[Janus]

So are the Maoists going to participate in this parliamentary process or continue the war? After all, they have always insisted on multi-party democracy.

[Janus]

So are the Maoists going to participate in this parliamentary process or continue the war? After all, they have always insisted on multi-party democracy.

[che_diwas]

Maoists welcome HoR declaration cautiously

Maoist supremo Prachanda has welcomed and supported Thursday's declaration by the House of Representatives (HoR) as a partial “victory of the 12-point understanding reached between the Maoists and the seven-party alliance and people's movement.

“Our party welcomes it and supports the declaration as a victory of the 12-point understanding and the Nepali people’s historical movement,” said a statement issued by Prachanda.

Stating that several declarations including declaring Nepal a secular state as demanded by Maoists has made his party proud, the Maoist chairman however said that the proclamation does not address many aspirations of the people.

He said the party feels “glorified” that some of the demands raised by his party have been addressed. “But the declaration has attempted to address the people’s desire of ending monarchy by politically limiting it as a ceremonial one,” Prachanda said.

He said it was silent over the issues of growing foreign interference, restructuring the state, self-determination, regional and ethnic autonomy and federal system, revolutionary land reforms and fundamental rights to education, health and employment.

Prachanda warned that the proclamation may be a serious ploy to overshadow talks, election of the constituent assembly and an overall progressive outlet.

He added that the declaration had tried to give credit to only to the alliance by not mentioning the significance of the 12-point pact.

He however said that his party would raise these and other issues for discussion among people and during talks with the government.

[Ander]

I love the smell of progress in the morning.

[Janus]

It seems that peace negotiations are soon to begin in Nepal between the new government and the Maoists.

Home minister to lead Nepal talks (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5000168.stm)