2018: A Year of Implementation of Federalism

Kathmandu / Dec 30: As this past year 2018 remained eventful on global politics, Nepal too witnessed remarkable moments that it was the year of implementation of federalism.

The formation of new government after the elections to House of Representatives and provincial parliaments has paved way for political stability. Then government led by NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba held the elections to the federal and provincial parliaments. It also temporarily fixed the capitals of all seven provinces.

After the elections with the majority of votes, Chairman of then CPN (UML) KP Sharma Oli became the Prime Minister. It is the second prime ministerial stint of leader Oli. He was elected to the Prime Minister with overwhelming support- a two-thirds majority- of the leftist alliances. It is regarded as the strongest government since 2015 BS election in Nepal’s political history.

After the formation of the government, the elections to the President and the Vice President were held. Bidya Devi Bhandari and Nanda Bahadur Pun were reelected to the posts of President and Vice President respectively.

Another event that made the year memorable is the unification of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre) on May 17, 2018. They announced the unified party the Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

On June 1, all seven provinces presented the budgets. The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal decided for the rotational system of leadership.

The judiciary, however, faced tumultuous situation after the dispute erupted on the certificates of Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli. It finally led to Parajuli’s resignation from the post. The dispute on the academic certificates followed the suit in case of senior most Judge at Supreme Court, Deepak Raj Joshi as well. He was rejected by the parliamentary hearing committee in the post of Chief Justice.

Amidst these events, the new Civil Code was enforced on August 17.

This year also saw the headlines on Pokhara gathering of the Chief Ministers and interstate coordination committee meeting.

Other noteworthy events this year are fourth summit of the BIMSTEC in Nepal, Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Nepal, visit of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath to Janakpur and Asia Pacific Summit.

This year lost former minister and NC leader Chakra Prasad Bastola, former minister and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar and former Prime Minister Tulsi Giri.

The major opposition held its mahasamiti meeting and passed an amended statute with the commitment to make the party inclusive and extended in view of the federalism. RSS