State Restructuring and Federalism in Nepal Trilochan Pokharel, trilochan.pokharel@nasc.org.np Rajendra Adhikari, rajendra.adhikari@nasc.org.np

Objectives Explain the needs for state restructuring Analyze the context and principles of state restructuring Acknowledge the principles of power sharing in Constitution of Nepal Analyze the power sharing in different tiers of governments © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Coverage Basis of state restructuring Context and need for state restructuring in Nepal Principles and approaches of state restructuring Constitutional provisions in state restructuring Principles of power sharing at different levels of government © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

What is pressing issue of implementing federalism in Nepal? A. Appreciation of Constitutional Provisions B. Finance C. Administrative Arrangement D. Developing Federal Culture E. Power sharing F. All G. None © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Hard fact What proportion of Nepali people have heard about new constitution? A. 90%+ B. 80%+ C. 70%+ D. 60% E....? Preliminary report of Nepal National Governance Survey 2017/18 © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Hard… What proportion have adequate knowledge of major constitutional provisions? © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Constitution of Nepal ;+3Lo nf]stflGqs u0ftGqfTds zf;g Joj:yfsf] dfWodåf/f lbuf] zflGt, ;'zf;g, ljsf; / ;d[l4sf] cfsf+Iff k"/f ug{ ;+ljwfg ;efaf6 kfl/t u/L of] ;+ljwfg hf/L ub{5f}+ © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

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Some critical questions What is a state? What is state restructuring? Does Nepal require state restructuring? najushrestha.wordpress.com © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Some… Why Nepal requires state restructuring? Establishing rights Recognizing voices Sharing resources Offering choices © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

What… State restructuring is something that is directly associated with political re-imagination of the state as per the spirit of the time and is a continuous process in democracy © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Sectors of Restructuring Political Administrative Social/Cultural Economic What it means in Nepal? © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Why is state restructuring? With due respect to Prof. Pitambar Sharma © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Why… ;fdGtL, lg/+s'z, s]Gb|Ls[t / PsfTds /fHoJoj:yfn] ;[hgf u/]sf ;a} k|sf/sf lje]b / pTkL8gsf] cGTo ub}{ © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Why… ax'hftLo, ax'eflifs, ax'wfld{s, ax';f+:s[lts tyf ef}uf]lns ljljwtfo'Qm ljz]iftfnfO{ cfTd;ft\ u/L ljljwtfaLrsf] Pstf, ;fdflhs ;f+:s[lts P]Soa4tf, ;lxi0f'tf / ;b\efjnfO{ ;+/If0f Pj+ k|jw{g ub}{Ù juL{o, hftLo, If]qLo, eflifs, wfld{s, n}+lus lje]b / ;a} k|sf/sf hftLo 5'jf5"tsf] cGTo u/L © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Why… cfly{s ;dfgtf, ;d[l4 / ;fdflhs Gofo ;'lglZrt ug{ ;dfg'kflts ;dfj]zL / ;xeflutfd"ns l;4fGtsf cfwf/df ;dtfd"ns ;dfhsf] lgdf{0f ug]{ ;+sNk ub}{ © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

hgtfsf] k|lt:kwf{Tds ax'bnLo nf]stflGqs zf;g k|0ffnL, gful/s :jtGqtf, df}lns clwsf/, dfgj clwsf/, aflnu dtflwsf/, cfjlws lgjf{rg, k"0f{ k|]; :jtGqtf tyf :jtGq, lgikIf / ;Ifd Gofokflnsf / sfg"gL /fHosf] cjwf/0ff nufotsf nf]stflGqs d"No / dfGotfdf cfwfl/t ;dfhjfbk|lt k|lta4 /xL ;d[4 /fi6« lgdf{0f ug{ © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Political Evolution Dates Movements Demands Results 1951 Against Rana regime End of Rana familial rule Negotiation between parties and the King 1979 Against autocratic Panchayat system End of party-less Panchayat system and restoration of multi-party democracy Referendum held on the Panchayat system and declaration made in favour of the Panchayat (Panchayat rule continued by suppressing parties) 1990 Against autocratic Panchayat system Negotiation between parties and the King; restoration of multi-party democracy; new constitution made, supremacy of power to the King (dubious provisions: Hindu kingdom, no question against king and family, no reservation) Source: Khatiwada (2015) © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Political Evolution 1996-2005 (Maoist Movement) Against feudalism and monarchy (and mainstream parties) End of monarchy; feudalism and establishment of People’s government Negotiation with the parliamentary political parties; Decision to launch joint movement against autocratic monarchy 2006 Against autocratic monarchy End of autocratic monarchy and establishment of inclusive democracy Negotiation between Maoists and SPA; establishment of inclusive democracy; suspension of monarchy; Declaration to hold constituent assembly by June 2007 2015 Federal Democratic Republic Constitution Transforms Nepal into federal country with constitutional power sharing among federal, province and local government New form of negotiation among three orders of government © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Principles of Restructuring Principle of subsidiarity Economy of scales Equity and inclusiveness Building ownership and trust © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Principles… Self rule Self rule Self rule Shared rule Shared rule © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Criteria or bases for state restructuring A. Identity: Ethnicity/community (जातीय/समुदायगत) Language (भाषिक) Culture (सांस्कृतिक) Historical continuity (ऐतिहासिक निरन्तरता) Geographic continuity (भौगोलिक/क्षेत्रगत निरन्तरता) © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Criteria or bases for state restructuring B. Capability: Economic inter-dependence/capability (आर्थिक अन्तरसम्बन्ध र सामर्थ्य) Status of infrastructures and their viability (पूर्वाधार विकासको अवस्था र सम्भावना) Availability of natural resource (प्राकृतिक साधन र स्रोतको उपलब्धता) Administrative accessibility (प्रशासनिक सुगमता) © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

/fi6«sf] kl/efiff ax'hftLo, ax'eflifs, ax'wfld{s, ax';f+:s[lts ljz]iftfo'Qm, ef}uf]lns ljljwtfdf /x]sf ;dfg cfsf+Iff / g]kfnsf] /fli6«o :jtGqtf, ef}uf]lns cv08tf, /fli6«o lxt tyf ;d[l4k|lt cf:yfjfg /xL Pstfsf] ;"qdf cfa4 ;a} g]kfnL hgtf ;dli6df /fi6« xf] - wf/f #_ © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Federalism vs. Devolution Functional Decentralization Tiers of government two or more Competencies of lower units broad narrow Competencies of central government limited unlimited Division of power Entrenched in constitution Subject to ordinary laws No divisions of powers © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Power Sharing in Federalism Horizontal power sharing : power sharing between the three organs of government (legislative, executive and judiciary) Vertical power sharing : sharing state power between different territorial layers of government (federal, state, and local levels) © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Principles of power sharing in federalization Principle of cooperation (Cooperative federalism) Principle of competition (Competitive federalism) Synthesis © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

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;+ljwfgdf zlQmsf] afF8kmfF8 Wff/f %^= /fHosf] ;+/rgf -!_ ;+3Lo nf]stflGqs u0ftGq g]kfnsf] d"n ;+/rgf ;+3, k|b]z / :yfgLo tx u/L tLg txsf] x'g]5 . -@_ g]kfnsf] /fHozlQmsf] k|of]u ;+3, k|b]z / :yfgLo txn] o; ;+ljwfg tyf sfg"g adf]lhd ug{] 5g\ . © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

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;+3Lotf ;DalGwt k|fjwfgx? Wff/f ^)= /fh:j ;|f]tsf] afF8kmfF8 -!_ ;+3, k|b]z / :yfgLo txn] cfˆgf] cfly{s clwsf/If]q leqsf] ljifodf s/ nufpg / tL ;|f]tx¿af6 /fh:j p7fpg ;Sg]5g\ . © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

clwsf/ tyf sfo{x?sf] auL{s/0f ;+ljwfgn] k|bfg u/]sf clwsf/ tyf sfo{x?nfO{ ljz]ift lgDg tLg ;d"xdf auL{s/0f ug{ ;lsG5M gLlt lgdf{0f, lgodg tyf cg'udg sfo{x? (Policy and regulatory works) k|Zff;sLo tyf ;]jf k|jfxsf] nflu cfjZos sfo{x? (Back office functions) ;]jf k|jfx;+u ;DalGwt sfo{x? (Frontline service delivery) © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

tx cg';f/ clwsf/ tyf sfo{x?sf] auL{s/0fsf ;+3sf sfo{{x?M ;+ljwfgdf Joj:yf ePsf Psn tyf ;femf clwsf/x? /fli6«o gLlt tyf lgodgx? dfkb08 tf]Sg] cg'udg tyf d"Nof+sg cGt/fli6«o ;DaGw cg';Gwfg tyf gljgd\td k|ljlwsf] ljsf; s]Gb|Lo tYof+s cGt/;/sf/L ;dGjo © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

clwsf/ tyf sfo{x?sf] afF8kmfF8sf] l;4fGtx? k|b]zsf sfo{{x?M ;+ljwfgdf Joj:yf ePsf Psn tyf ;femf clwsf/x? k|fb]lzs gLlt tyf lgodgx? k|fb]lzs dfkb08 tf]Sg] cg'udg tyf d"Nof+sg cg';Gwfg tyf gljgd\td k|ljlwsf] ljsf; k|fb]lzs tYof+s cGt/lgsfo ;dGjo ;+3Lo tyf :yfgLo ;/sf/nfO{ k|Zff;sLo tyf ;]jf k|jfxsf] nflu cfjZos Joj:yfx? © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

clwsf/ tyf sfo{x?sf] afF8kmfF8sf] l;4fGtx? :yfgLo ;/sf/sf sfo{{x?M ;+ljwfgdf Joj:yf ePsf Psn tyf ;femf clwsf/x? :yfgLo gLlt tyf lgodgx? :yfgLo dfkb08 tf]Sg] cg'udg tyf d"Nof+sg :yfgLo tYof+s ;]jf k|jfxsf] nflu cfjZos sfo{x? © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

What constitution assures? Empowering local governments in service delivery – transfer of sovereignty Making provincial governments accountable in provisioning of services Making federal government responsible for policy and regulatory functions and resource assurance to ensure public provisions, protection of fundamental rights © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Potential risks (opportunities) Implementing constitution Reaching people Building ownership on state and national solidarity Making federalism a good means Strengthening local government © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15

Thank you © NASC, 2018 2018-08-15