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Wednesday, December 6, 2006
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Intensifying conflict also forced government to initiate new policies and programs in the mid of the plan period
-P.R.Ligal, Former Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission Nepal
Conflict Initiated New Policies and Programs
Besides its effect on the economic performances, the intensifying conflict also forced government to initiate new policies and programs in the mid of the plan period. These initiations were made to smoothly carrying out the development activities and for better service delivery particularly in the conflict areas. These initiatives are discussed briefly in the present section.
a. Integrated Security and development Program
As the insurgency affected infrastructure construction and service delivery I the conflict area, the government decided to initiate a new program taking development and security together- continuing development activities protected by the security units. This program was called Integrated Security and Development Program and was launched in five conflict affected districts of Gorkha, Rukum, Rolpa, salyan and Pyuthan. The program was later extended to 11 other districts including some in the central and eastern hilly districts. Army and other security agencies were involved in a unified strategy under the overall responsibility of the Army, to implement and protect the identified programs. Respective departments and ministries were instructed to ensure all the vacant position in the district fulfilled and the personnel were involved to carry out the program under the protection of the security forces. Strategic infrastructure programs such as roads, irrigation structures, drinking water schemes, educational and health related activities, income and employment generating activities were identified as the program to implement in these conflicts affected districts. Priority was given in allocating budget and quick disbursement of budget release was ensured. A central Program approval and monitoring committee along with the district level monitoring and supervision committees were formed to ensure program success. Nom inal budget were also sanctioned to carry out programs relating to maintenance of school building and health office, irrigation and drinking water maintenance etc., as a program to win the heart of the local people by improving service delivery.
b. Involvement of Security in Development program
Because of the difficulties in carrying out infrastructure projects in the conflict affected region and districts, decisions were made to involve army in the development programs. As such a number of strategic high ways and inter-district roads were handed over to the army. Roads , such as, Surkhet – Jumla, manma – kalikot, Chhinchu – Jajarkot, Sitalpati – Musikot. Salyan, salyan – Dhorpatan – Baglung, Devasthal – karendanda – Chourjhari, Myagdi - Jomsom, Besisahar – Chame etc. are handed over to the Army for the overall construction over these years. A full fledged division, looking after the construction of these roads was created with in the army structure. The initiation to involve army in infrastructure construction was new in Nepal but the rising conflict situation and the difficulties in constructing these roads have forced the government to take these initiatives.
- Devolution of Development Authority to Local Bodies
The frequent absence of government officials in the conflict districts had bad affected the implementation of the program. To overcome it and also to better prioritize programs a local level committee under the chairmanship of the DDC was formed and authorizes to allocate budget in the identified programs and implement it. A monitoring committee was also formed under the coordinatorship of the respective district parliamentarians to supervise development activities in the districts. The initiation has opened the door for full scale devolution of government tasks to local bodies in the subsequent years.
A host of other programs relating to poverty, income transfer, safeguarding industrial districts etc. have been initiated in the subsequent years to minimize the threat of insurgency and in safeguarding further deterioration in the life of the people. Besides, these new initiatives in terms of projects countering the impact of conflict, policy initiations were also made to strengthen the fiscal and budgetary management of the country. Introduction of Mid term Budget Review and Medium Term Expenditure Framework were initiated to better prioritize projects and programs and to ensure timely completion by guaranteeing resources on high priority projects. Measures were also taken to improve government revenue situation. Poverty Alleviation Fund was instituted to coordinate and channelize funds in activities related to poverty reduction and there by protect people to slip under poverty trap due to insurgency. National Development Volunteer System was introduced to provide technical support to VDCs and DDCs in carrying out host of development activities and social sector programs including education, health and population, mass awareness programs. The Volunteer services have fulfilled the gap of technical personnel mostly in the conflict affected districts.
Devolution of primary education, primary health care system, agriculture and live stock extension services, small irrigation and drinking water schemes, rural roads etc., to local body and community are implemented to improve the service delivery system affected directly by the conflict situation.
Conclusion
The conflict situation that emerged in 1996 has taken a great toll in terms of human life and also in terms of the loss of income due to underperformance of economic activities. The low private and public investments in the economy for the several years are feared to affect the revival of the potential growth even after the resolution of the conflict. The Government has recognized that failure of governance is one of the underlying causes of the conflict. It has refocused reforms in a number of areas to make governance more people centered and to enhance participation at grassroots level, particularly focusing on women and excluded groups. The realization that the root cause of conflict being the deep rooted poverty and the social discrimination, it has taken bold steps to eliminate such situation with in a specified target date. In so doing, more emphasis are now being given in providing infrastructural access to the mid and far western region of the country, which used to be the breeding place for conflict. More resources are being pumped in developing the socio-economic status of the region and programs are being launched to transfer income and sustain it.
The Maoist and the government are now in the negotiating table and a ray of hope is there that the final outcome will resolve conflict situation in the country. With this, a new dawn of development will emerge in the country leading people to prosperity in the shortest possible time with out any discrimination.
Excerpts from author's paper presented at a NEFAS seminar held recently in Kathmandu-ed.
Media perspective: People of Nepal are looking forward to an era of peaceful new Nepal
-Lal Deusa Rai, Reader, Central department of Journalism and Mass Communication, T.U
Print Media: The Newspapers 
Before the restoration of democracy, that is in the year 1987 -88, a frog-leaping in quantitative growth of the newspapers was signaled by the establishment of a newsprint paper industry and its promise to meet a large bulk of the local demands for newsprints which were till then all imported at the cost of hard currencies. While in the FY 1987-88, 33 thousand reams of newsprint was consumed by a total of 407 published,i.e.88.5% out of the 460 registered private dailies and weeklies, in the year just preceding this , only10.7 thousand reams had been consumed by a total of 372 published i.e. 83%out of 448 registered dailies and weeklies. The production and supply of newsprints by domestic industries created an easy accessibility of newsprint market which impacted on the registration and publication of the newspapers.
In the year immediately succeeding the year of Janandolan 1989-90, a total of 605 newspapers (96 dailies,509 weeklies) was registered of which 547(64 dailies,483 weeklies)i.e. 90.4% were actually published. And, a total of 36,077 reams of newsprint was consumed in that year according to the National Trading Limited.
This trend in newsprint consumption and increase in the number of the private newspapers indicated the health of a new political environment created by the JanAndolan I. In September 1992, after a year of the installation of the newly elected government, a New Communication Policy was declared.
After five years of the operation of the restored system with a new communication policy in place and the experiences of the multiparty politics and also of just six- month of the declaration of the People’s War by the Maoist group of the Communist Party of Nepal, the print media scenario was highlighted by a total of 874 newspapers( 132 dailies,661 weeklies,81 fortnightlies)were registered, of which 373 ( 50 dailies,294 weeklies,29 fortnightlies) were published and circulated in FY 1995-’96.A total of 52,635 reams (41,762 of 19”X25” size,5862 reams of 20”X30”,and 5011 reams of 24”X33” sizes) were consumed. Of the 75 districts 31(41%) were without newspapers and most of these (24 (77%) were in the Western, mid-Western and Far Western regions which had become bastions of the People’s War.
By the next five years, the number of 373 registered newspapers multiplied more than four times to 1620(230 dailies, 1166 weeklies, and 224 fortnighlies). The official data for newsprint consumption were unavailable because the government discontinued the subsidy policy of providing newsprints, by introducing the advertisement subsidy policy. However, we can surmise the consumption of newsprints for this period by the worth of newsprints imported from India .During the nine months of 2000-2001 newsprints worth 113 million rupees was imported from India according to the Birgunj Customs records. Of the 75 districts, 19 (25%) districts were without newspapers, and of these, 16(84%) were in the Western, mid-Western and Far Western Regions. The Maoist had made the point of a drastic change in the media structure in their 40-Pt charter of demand. But the Press Council Annual Reports indicated that almost 33% of the total 75 districts had not a single newspaper, registered or published. During the armed conflict after the mid-1990s, the news media by its very nature of business tended to cover more Maoist news more freely despite the press control measures. But, the tendency of the news media to get registered for licence and not to get published actually is a paradoxical question. This general long-set trend of increase in registration of would-be urban-based newspapers continued unabated even in the civil war situation. Nor the royal intervention on 1 February, 2004 produced a negative effect on this trend. It is a matter of multi- dimensional media research problem. The point is that the licencing policy was not influenced by the armed conflicts.!?
As of now (2005), the number of registered newspapers has gone up to 2181(307 dailies, 1580 weeklies, 294 fortnightlies), but of the 75 districts, 26 districts (35%) were without newspapers, and 19 (73%) of these were in the Western Regions. Among the districts without newspapers however there were 16 which had felt the need for news media and had actually obtained licences to publish them, unlike the 10 others which were absolutely unmoved by the need to have some type of newspapers, and traditionally most of them were in the Western Nepal including district like Gorkha,Rukum Arghakhachi, Achham, Dadeldhura.
Printing Technology
The Gorkhapatra Corporation began to introduce computer-aided printing technology in the 1980s, and by the time this technology was adopted by the private print media in the 1990s,not only computer- aided mass media but new media technology like the Internet had begun to influence the production and distribution of the broadsheets, irrespective of their ownership differences. Now the new technology in production and distribution of the print media products has penetrated the total print media sector in Nepal.
II. Electronic Media:
In conformity to the National Broadcasting Act of 2049(AD 1992) the government has adopted liberalization policy for the electronic media also. The Maoist insurgency did affect this Act though they run parallel local governments in the rural areas.
Radio Broadcasting
At the time of the restoration of democracy, Radio Nepal used to broadcast its program for a total of 101 hrs a week including regional broadcast hours; of which 16.8% was constituted by news programmes, 38.7% by educational program, and 44.5% by entertainment programmes. On declared holidays, two more hrs per day were added on the regular total hrs. It was equipped with one studio and one transmitter. After five years (In 1996) the national radio broadcast hours increased to 112 hrs a week plus extra 2 hrs per one declared holiday. Of this total weekly hours, News programmes constituted 21 %,development and educational progrmme constituted 16 % and entertainment constituted 63%.This predominance of entertainment hours is explained by the introduction of FM.
In 1995, Radio Nepal started FM transmission by a 1 kw transmitter in addition to its already existing MW and SW transmissions: a total of 420 kw transmission capacity distributed in 10 MW stations and a total of 205 SW transmission capacity at Lalitpur. With the establishment of four more FM relay centres, Radio Nepal will have wider coverage besides its SW and MW coverage which is more or less countrywide. Of the 14 stations which came into operation after 1990, 2 in Far West and 2 in Western Regions, 2 in Central Region, and2 in Eastern Region are in operation, and 3 are in test transmission.
Only 3 are not in operation owing to the conflict situations.
Under the policy guidelines of 2002 transmission of Radio Nepal has been improved by installing VSAT system. Since the liberalization of broadcasting system, 56 private companies have obtained FM licences and out of which 47 are in operation. The community broadcasting system is picking up. with 8 in Eastern Region,7 in Central and 15 in Kathmandu Valley, and the remaining 26 in the Western Regions.
Television Broadcasting
Twenty year ago, there was only one terrestrial channel equipped with VHS equipment, in a small room, for 2 hours broadcasting powered by 5 kw transmitter. Now there are 8 channels most of them in private and satellite system, and of these NTV is dominating in terms of broadcasting hours which is 18 hours, number of studios and transmission stations 13 with 2 Kathmandu Valley and the rest in outlying districts with power varying from 30 w to 5 kw, coverage both at the national and international levels (65 % of the population and 45% of land area), programming quality and ad revenues and investment volumes,
Since 2001 NTV is now uplinked via optical fiber link to INTELSAT and so now it has upgraded its signal quality in comparison to its usual terrestrial transmission through 13 relay stations including the latest in Doti and Hetauda and three more are under construction. Its transmission now has been internationalized covering most of the Asian countries and Turkey and some parts of Russia. From 2003 its second channel, NTV Metro, with entertainment bias has come been increased to 7 hours from 1 hr. The policy is to link this Channel also to the satellite system. There are altogether 7 television channels – two are state owned, and the rest in the private sector With these terrestrial transmitting stations, many with low power transmitters, plus the satellite system ,NTV has coverage countywide of the Maoist insurgency.
The Emergency and the Direct Rule
As a consequence of the breakdown of the 4-month long truce between the government and the Maoists on 23 Nov 2001, coordinated Maoist attacks on the security forces and government installations resumed threatening intolerable loss of human lives. The government imposed a state of Emergency on 26 November, 2001. All the seven constitutional articles related to the exercise of civil liberties, including the explicit provisions for press freedom, were suspended. The national system was paralysed.
By repression logic and law, the traditional media were restrained from exercising their legitimate rights, but the New Media was beyond the long arm of this logic and law. The Maoist point of view continued to flow through the Net.
Most significantly, while both the State and the Maoist adopted the brutal strategy of the repressive elimination of the journalists in Nepal,- some in a mysterious way, the undaunted journalists confronted the whole situation rising in mass resistance. The Himal khabar Patrika has recently done a great job of surveying countrywide the prevailing public opinion on the direct rule of the King, it would have been much more useful for media policy researcher had it added the media policy variable also in its design.
The Future
The conflict cloud has a silver lining of bright resolution; the people of Nepal are looking forward to an era of peaceful new Nepal.
Excerpts from author's paper presented at a NEFAS seminar held recently in Kathmandu-ed.
Hail to Peace
By Yeera Pradhan, Nepal
The historical peace agreement signed between the Government of Nepal and the Maoist on November 21, 2006 has finally put an end to more than a decade long war in the country. The country, which was living in fear for 11 years, has eventually obtained an opportunity to live their life and express their feelings.
With the onset of the positive message about the country, it is in fact a golden opportunity for the Nepalese tourism industry to work towards reviving its image in the international tourism market. Tourism industry is one of the strength of the national economy and it contributes around 4% to the Gross Domestic Product but the total revenue generated by the industry has been sinking from US$ 180 millions in 2004 to US$ 148m in 2005.
In spite of the constant efforts from the related sectors for several years in the past, the Nepalese tourism industry has not been able to reposition itself in the international market. Endeavors like branding Nepal despite the turmoil in the country was a commendable attempt by the stakeholders to promote Nepal amid unrest. Yet, the tourism sector could not stand upright owing to the repulsive actions that occurred regularly in the country.
So, on this new beginning, Tek B Dangi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board exclaims, “This is the very good opportunity to change our past media coverage. The improvement of tourist arrival can be detected by the scarcity of the air seats in the international sector.”
He said that the positive news would automatically revive the tourism in Nepal and for further intensification, NTB along with the tourism ministry and the travel trade sector is planning to go for various special sales mission in the future. “We have stopped getting queries on ‘Is Nepal safe?’ anymore and the attitude of the visitors about Nepal in WTM London was also splendid,” informs Dangi.
It is believed that the liberal policy of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has been a boom for tourism industry since already three international airlines have started their operations in Nepal and many are in the pipeline.
Basanta Mishra, President of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) is optimistic that the agreement, which has put an end to acts of extortion, intimidation and the decade long conflict in Nepal, will now serve as a vital tool for boosting the confidence of foreign tourists and potential investors which in turn will assist in the overall economic development of the nation in the days to come.
He said, “NATO has already circulated this pleasant news to more than 4,500 tour operators, international media, associations and individuals around the world and is hopeful that this milestone achieved by the Nepalese people will revive and uplift all the sectors of the economy especially the tourism sector.” He believes that this is the right time for the government, NTB, associations and the private sector to give emphasis to the tourism sector, which can reap benefits from the recent development, and to work towards changing the negative perception of the international tourists.
Mishra further asserts, “Strong marketing tactics in the international arena and strengthening Nepal Airlines Corporation by expanding its fleet and making it more efficient is the need of the moment and must be addressed with utmost urgency.” NATO has also sent a letter to the different Embassies in Nepal urging them to review their travel advisories about Nepal.
Mishra reiterates that all forms of ‘violence must come to an end with immediate effect for the economy to flourish. “Since this is possible only if both the private and the public sector join hands and cooperate with each other. we appeal to all to take effective measures to rebuild the nations economy.’ he concludes.
“The message of peace should reach the international media.” states Bikash SJB Rana, President of Airline Operators’ Association of Nepal AOAN adding, “Since Nepal is a very enclosed and beautiful country, it does not need much to revive its economy. Rana is confident about the revival of tourism, which will assist directly and indirectly to the people and the national economy as a whole.
“We have foreseen the positive future of tourism and to cater increased number of tourist, we need better infrastructure so its time we start thinking about its development.” acknowledged Rana saying. “I am sure the concerned people will feel its requirement soon.”
In case of increased tourist, he says. Aviation and tourism should go hand in hand, hence the number of domestic and international airlines including the helicopters at present will not be sufficient to serve the passengers in future. However, I am sure that the national and the international airlines will not hesitate in any kind of expansion in future since we have already noticed some developments lately.”
Government’s role is equally important for the de of any industry in the country so, Rana affirms. “Allotting budget is not sufficient so along with the private sector, the government should take tourism as an investment. Government has to show a supportive attitude towards the private sector too.
Shikher Prasai, Chairman of PATA Nepal Chapter is also of the same opinion that Nepal needs more international connections and opines, “For any country, tourism prospers if the national airline is strong so all we need now is efficient NAC with more aircraft” He thinks that it will take a little while for the international tour operators to include Nepal in their brochures hut the number of FITs might increase immediately.
The greatest obstruction of the industry at present is the existing travel advisory. All the tow entrepreneurs have appealed to the concerned embassies to look upon this matter immediately. Dhurba Nararan Shrestha, President of Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA) remarks, “Besides the foreign Embassies, the entire Nepalese Embassies abroad should organize a press briefing to all the media, travel agents, tour operators etc about the present situation of Nepal.’
“Its been 16 years that they are operating with the present number of fleet, so its high time the add more aircraft since this is the only way we can get more tourist in Nepal,” he comments.
Along with Kathmandu Valley. the Patan tourism entrepreneurs are also making various attempts to allure tourist and elongate their stay in Patan. Dilendra Raj Shresthu, Past President of Patan Tourism Development Organization complains tourists’ two hours tour in Patan is not sufficient for us so we are trying to lengthen their stay by developing infrastructures like accommodation facilities in the traditional style houses, exploring more destinations etc.”
According to him, in the changed context of the situation of the country, we need to involve ourselves in extensive international publicity. “Despite the improved security condition of the country, the tourist arrival figure of October/November is not satisfactory so we need to put in extra effort to attract them suggests Shrestha.
“The recent peace accord of Nepal has been very exemplary not only to Nepal but the world,” claims Narendra Bajracharya, immediate past President of the Hotel Association, Nepal. However, he says. “The real implementation of the peace accord is still a question mark since we have to first put our house in order.” He thinks that the inflow of the tourist will not be a problem if peace is genuinely restored in Nepal.
He also remonstrated about the insufficient air seat to Nepal and the government’s lack of interest in this issue. “The landing, ground handling etc charge in Nepal is exceptionally expensive and owing to this reason the only European Airline (Austrian Air) is pulling out its operation, but the authorized body like CAAN is not taking this matter seriously’ laments Bajracharya. He showed dissatisfaction on the increase of airline fuel which is already 40% more expensive in Nepal than the international market.
Regardless of peace, the insufficient air seats will always be an obstruction for the tourism industry since it is learnt that the Nepalese labor market occupies more than 60% of the total air occupancy.
Similarly, Deepak Mahat, IPP of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) opined that the tourism industry did not receive the kind of relief they had received during the lime of cease-fire in the past and this is apparent by the declining tourist arrival data in the peak tourist season. He comments, “In the past when the Maoist were in jungle and the tourist knew that by paying sonic money to the Maoist they would not come in public to disturb them. Whereas, the scene is different now, the open interference of the Maoist to the tourist in every major tourist destinations has created some kind of annoyance amongst the tourist. So, if this attitude of the Maoists continues, it is very difficult to foretell the status of the coming tourist season.’ He also cited the problem of recent labor revolution in the country and said that for any company to perform well, a proper labor management is indispensable so all the quarters should understand this in future for better performance.
With the genesis of the peace process in the country every individual is delighted and they do not want to lose this happiness at any cost. So to give this peace a long-term frame, it is imperative for all the political parties including Maoists to improve their interrelationship and their working environment for the betterment of the people and the country as a whole.
Text courtesy: The NTTR November/December 2006 issue-ed.
Conflict Resolution Process and Reforming the Judiciary under the Present People's Democracy
-Prof. Dr. Bharat B. Karki, Head of the Law Department, Faculty of Law, T.U
Conflict Resolution Process
Normally, no one wants conflict to continue and grow, but want its early peaceful resolution. Peaceful/amicable/pacific settlement of disputes are universally accepted process which run through negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to other peaceful means or arrangements. Non- peaceful means of conflict settlement (use of force) are often not welcome/recognized although they are the last resort resorted to so as to enforce rule of law and maintain public order under domestic jurisdiction or to execute UN resolutions/ decisions or sanctions. Generally, when peaceful realms of settlement fail non peaceful means of means of settlement are resorted to. But the results of the armed conflicts of the recent years show that when the warring parties are not winning they are lastly solved through peaceful process. For this conflict management (process achieving progress in the situation) and conflict resolution (total resolution) are the major arms of conflict settlement.
Between 1996 and 2006 the country and people had to suffer and witness great loss of life, extortion, disappearances political upheavals and instability, successive change of government, dissolving and reinstatement of house of representatives, hung parliament, minority government, divisions and reunion of political parties, royal assassination, imposition of emergency rule and TADO, floor crossings, political criminalization, large number of national strikes, dismissal of government, defaming democracy, constant foreign interference, royal coup and king's direct rule, holding of executives and absence of the parliament and elected central/ local government, gross human rights violation and establishment of OHCHR's Nepal office, formation of illegal RCCC and imprisonment of former prime minister and ministers on fake corruption charge and their release, weakening of Judiciary and rule of law, emergence of lawlessness and impunity, arrests of political parties leader, abuses of Maoist army and state army, agitation by political parties against royal takeover and restoration of Democracy, holding of peace talks and reaching 12 point agreement with Maoist, launching of national wide broader political movement by political parties and Maoists and its success, scrapping of RCCC and derecognizing king's autocratic moves by the supreme court, overthrow of royal autocracy, reinstatement of time expired House of representative formation of all-party government, House Declaration of parliamentary supremacy, cutting down king's power and limiting him as a ceremonial head, Maoist leaders become public, amending the constitution and laws, signing 25 and 8 points agreements between ruling political parties and Maoists, formation of high-level inquiry committee to enquire into the repression of democratic movement, submission of an incomplete draft interim constitution, misunderstanding between the Maoist and government over honest implementation of agreed norms, arms management and Maoist inclusion in the government, government proving weak and incompetent, misunderstanding between the two leading ruling parties owing prime minister Koirala's one party design in defiance of seven party coalition norm and agreements with the Maoists, people receiving no relief and rehabilitation in case of internally displaced, oppressed and victims of armed conflict, and so on in succession.
One of the important events of the last decade has been the efforts and endeavors to find peaceful negotiated settlement of Maoist insurgency. There were four phases eight round peace talks held between the government and Maoist. Three phases of such talks were failures. But the last phase of talks in two rounds were very successful which were held in 2006 after the resumption of democracy and resuming political process. Signing 12-points, 25-points, 8-points, 5-points Agreements between the Maoist and political parties, and Maoists and government are really historical. A Reading of the 12-points, 25-points, 8-points and 5-points agreements represent the intent and objective of conflict, underlying positions of political actors, illusions and mistakes on their part, objectives, goals, challenges, promises for restructuring and transforming a peaceful prosperous future Nepal, whereas the 25-points code of Conduct agreement aims for creating a conducive environment for future talks between both the parties.
Reforming Judiciary under the present People's Democracy
None of three agreements between the parties and Maoists and the government and Maoists spell anything about the enhancement of judiciary except the reiteration of Maoists Commitments to peace, human rights, rule of law and competitive politics. The historical declaration of House of Representatives passed unanimously on May 18, 2006 also has no special provision on strengthening the judiciary by empowering it to dispensing justice effectively. But the importance of that Declaration is obvious, as it tantamount to a new interim constitution or a holistic constitutional amendment for transition. Major provisions of Constitution of 1990 have been replaced by the Declaration needs to be committed for enforcement and when legal/ constitutional issues arise. However, it has not touched upon in structure and role of judiciary envisaged under the Constitution of 1990.
The following resume leads the judiciary to undertake it to enforce the 9-point Declaration of House of Representative effectively with full constitutional force considering it as a people's mandate:
To take judicial notice that the country's present system of democratic governance is based on popular will expressed by the people in the recent people's democratic movement of April 2006 in line with the 12-point Agreement between the Seven political parties and the Maoists, and also the roadmap of the seven political parties. To take in accordance to it that the country is at present in transition and is heading forward restructuring to inclusive peaceful and sustainable state system by means of a democratic constitution to be farmed by a Constituent Assembly in future pursuant to people's mandate, as the people are now sovereign, so are the source of power.
The people's sovereignty or state power shall now be exercised by the House of Representatives restored by the king's latest proclamation of April 24, 2006 in submission to popular demand. Further, supremacy of parliament shall be the crux of the existing democracy as it substituted 'HMG' with 'Nepal Government'; and declared the country a secular state. The House curtailed the king's powers and privileges. Now on wards, the House will promulgate, amend and annul laws relating to the heir to the throne. The King's private property and income would be taxed and the palace budget, allowances and facilities would be decided by the House. King's activities can be questioned in the House as well as in a Court of law. Transformation of royal palace service to a civil service body, while security service arrangements for the palace be made by the cabinet. All executive powers earlier exercised by the king and the cabinet in accordance with Article 35 (2) of the constitution will now be vested solely in the cabinet. The 'Royal Nepalese Army' is rechristened as 'Nepalese Army', and the 'National Security Council' and the title of the 'Supreme Commander-in-Chief' belonging to the king are scrapped. The cabinet now will appoint the army chief. A National Security Council headed by the Prime Minister will control and mobilise the army which will be an inclusive and national institution. The issue of mobilization of army should be presented in and ratified by a Special Committee formed by the House within 30 days of the cabinet decision. All legislative powers will now be exercised by the House. Now on the Prime Minister will call the House sessions and the speaker can end a session on the PM's recommendation. The speaker can convene a session within 15 days with the recommendation of one fourth of the members of the parliament (MP) whenever a regular session is not in progress. Anyone who is not a MP can be nominated in the Council of Ministers, and the ministers and the cabinet will personally and in groups be accountable to the House. The administration, the army, police and all executive bodies will remain under the House and will be accountable to it. The existing problems regarding citizenship will be resolved soon and the Current National Anthem will be replaced. All the constitutional provisions of the constitution of 1990 and various laws in consistent with the Declaration will be nullified. The House can act against problems that may arise in implementing the Declaration, with the help of a committee to be formed for the purpose. Public officials as may be specified shall be required to take oath of office in the form and manner determined by the House, failure of which will loose his/her post.
Now in order to reinforce rule of law, the judiciary is expected to take into account and give effect to the provisions of the Declaration, survived provisions of the Constitution of 1990 and the other laws, rules and the constitutionality and legality of the Declaration has been proved by clause 9 (Gha) of the Declaration itself. Now judges are required not to take oath in the House, but in the form and manner prescribed by the House, as per the principles of separation of power and checks and balance. In the changed democratic context, the judiciary is required to be alert, watchful and morally accountable to the people through reinvigorating its internal reforms process.
