KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) had pledged in its election manifesto to reduce the number of federal ministries and appoint ‘expert ministers’, a proposal that has drawn public attention following the party’s strong electoral performance.
After securing nearly a two-thirds majority in the recent House of Representatives election held on March 5, questions have emerged over how the party plans to implement the commitment outlined in its manifesto.
In point 17 of its election manifesto, the RSP has proposed limiting the number of federal ministries to 18 and establishing a new administrative standard based on “expert ministers” and specialization-driven civil service management.
However, the manifesto does not explicitly state that ministers would be appointed from outside the federal parliament.
According to Article 76 (9) of the Constitution of Nepal, the President forms the Council of Ministers on the recommendation of the Prime Minister from among members of the Federal Parliament, ensuring inclusiveness. The constitution allows a maximum of 25 ministers, including the prime minister.
This provision effectively restricts the appointment of ministers to members of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, which consists of members of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.
However, the constitution also allows the appointment of a non-member as minister for a limited period. Under Article 78, the president may appoint any person as minister on the recommendation of the prime minister, but the individual must become a member of the federal parliament within six months of taking the oath of office.
This means a non-parliamentarian can serve as minister for a maximum of six months unless they obtain parliamentary membership within that time.
RSP leader and newly elected lawmaker from Kathmandu-7 Ganesh Parajuli said the term ‘expert’ mentioned in the manifesto refers to qualified individuals elected within the party rather than external technocrats.
“The term expert refers to those with expertise in the relevant field. It does not mean bringing in outsiders,” Parajuli said. “Under the current parliamentary system and constitutional framework, that would not be possible without amending the constitution.”
He added that the party’s intention is to ensure that capable individuals with relevant expertise are placed in appropriate ministerial roles.
Parajuli also said that in line with the manifesto, the upcoming cabinet under an RSP-led government is expected to be limited to 18 ministers.
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