From Hindu Monarchy to Secular Republic

Abstract

States are the principal subjects of International Law. The Himalayan State of Nepal fulfils all the essential conditions of statehood. It is an independent sovereign State. It is a member of the United Nations Organisations. On 1 June 2001, King Birendra, Queen Ashwarya and other close relatives were killed in a shooting spree by drunken Crown Prince Dipendra, who then shot himself to death. Later on, Gyanendra was crowned as the King of Nepal on 4 June 2001. He was a man of high ambition. He misused the provisions of the Constitution of 1990. He tried to justify his unconstitutional and arbitrary acts under Article 127 and certain other provisions of the Constitution. The General Elections for the new Constituent Assembly and Interim Parliament were held on 10 April 2008. On 28 May 2008, the new Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a ‘SECULAR, FEDERAL, DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLIC’ Nation. On 1 July 2008, the Constituent Assembly elected Nepali Congress leader Dr. Ram Baran Yadav as President of Nepal. At present, Nepal has its elected President, Vice President and Prime Minister. The Constituent Assembly has the responsibility to frame a new Constitution for the country. It is submitted that the new Constituent Assembly shall try to adopt the basic principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights.