General

The major feature of the new constitution is the adoption of a parliamentary system of government based on multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy. The concept of the rule of law is concentrated within an independent judicial system. The constitution also guarantees the safeguard of the basic human rights, freedom and equality. The constitution affirms that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, democratic, independent, sovereign constitutional-monarchical kingdom.

The Constitution of Nepal, 1990 adopted a first-past-the post system to elect the 205 members of the lower house of Parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR). The same system applies to Village Development Committee (VDC) and municipality elections. All Nepalese citizens aged 18 years and over, except for prisoners and civil servants and security personnel posted away from home, can vote in these elections. The representatives to the highest level of local government- the District Development Committees (DDC) - are elected by the VDC and municipality members.

The upper house, the National Assembly, has 60 members. Thirty-five of them are elected by the HoR through a proportional representation system using single transferable votes. At least three women must be included in this number. A further three members are elected from each of the five development regions by an electoral college of VDC chairpersons and deputy-chairpersons, municipality mayors and deputy mayors, and DDC chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and members. A further ten persons are nominated by the King.