KATHMANDU: Nepal is observing the 19th Loktantra Diwas (Democracy Day) today with various programs held nationwide in honor of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the fight for democracy and freedom.
The day commemorates two major milestones in Nepal’s democratic journey: the reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives by then-King Gyanendra Shah on April 24, 2006, and the official end of King’s rule on April 28, 2006.
In his historic declaration, then King Gyanendra had stated, “Recognizing that the source of state power is the Nepali people and that sovereignty lies with them, the House of Representatives is hereby reinstated in accordance with the people’s aspirations as expressed through the popular movement.”
Following the mass movement jointly led by the alliance of seven political parties and the then-rebel Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), a meeting of the reinstated House of Representatives was convened on April 28, 2006.
The Constitution of Nepal, promulgated in 2015, by the Constituent Assembly formed through two elections, institutionalized federal democratic republicanism in the country.
Since then, Nepal has embraced federalism, conducting elections at the federal, provincial, and local levels.
Federalism has aimed to bring state services closer to citizens, streamline disaster response, and enhance coordination among the three tiers of government—federal, provincial, and local. This system has gradually begun to yield effective and positive results.
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