Nepal's ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has formally endorsed a proposal to abolish provincial assemblies, triggering a sharp national debate over the future of the federal structure enshrined in the country's 2015 Constitution. The move, backed at the party's ongoing General Convention in Chitwan district, comes more than a decade after Nepal transitioned to a three-tier federal system and just months after the RSP swept to power in the March 5 elections.

What the RSP Is Proposing

A political and economic paper presented by RSP Vice President Swarnim Wagle at the General Convention calls for sweeping constitutional and governance overhaul. Key proposals include the direct election of the Prime Minister, a bar on Members of Parliament from serving as ministers, non-partisan local governments, a one-third reduction in the number of local units from the current 753, and the abolition of provincial assemblies.

Separately, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane has proposed restructuring provincial assemblies and provincial governments, transforming the National Assembly — the upper house — into a chamber of non-partisan experts, and linking the role of the Vice President with that of the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

The Constitutional Hurdle

Under Nepal's Constitution, any amendment requires a two-thirds majority of the combined membership of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly. While the RSP commands close to a two-thirds majority in the lower house, it holds no representation in the National Assembly — a significant structural barrier to pushing through major constitutional changes.

RSP leader and Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal told local media that the abolition of provincial assemblies and a directly elected executive are long-standing party positions. 'To establish and implement these agendas, a political party must have at least a two-thirds majority or sufficient political strength to amend the Constitution,' he said.

Some RSP leaders have sought to temper alarm, arguing the document reflects policy positions rather than an immediate legislative roadmap.

Dissent Within the Party

The proposal does not enjoy unanimous support even within the RSP. Lawmaker Amaresh Kumar Singh wrote on Facebook that any interference with democracy, federalism, and inclusiveness would be unacceptable. 'If anyone attempts to tamper with Nepal's democratic system, federal governance structure, and inclusive character, the Nepali people would strongly resist such efforts,' he said.

The proposal also sits uneasily alongside remarks made by Prime Minister Balendra Shah in Janakpur city on 19 January, before the general elections, when he pledged to respect the federal republican framework and called for provinces to be made strong enough to end the need to travel to Kathmandu to seek power.

Madhesi Parties Push Back Hard

The strongest opposition has come from Madhes-based political parties, whose protests and movements in 2007 were instrumental in steering Nepal toward federalism. The irony is stark: these parties, once influential in Parliament, hold no seats in the current House of Representatives after being swept aside in the RSP's electoral surge.

Keshav Jha, General Secretary of the Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, a Madhesh-centric party, said the scrapping of provinces or provincial assemblies is not acceptable. 'Madhesi people have shed their blood for the federal system, and any attempt to scrap the provincial system will go against the sacrifices of the martyrs and invite strong pushback,' he said.

Jha also argued that provincial governments have underperformed not due to structural failure but because the central government has withheld authority envisioned in the Constitution, compounded by frequent government changes driven by federal political equations over the past decade.

What Happens Next

The government, led by Prime Minister Shah, has already initiated consultations with political parties and stakeholders on possible constitutional amendments. Critics argue the RSP's proposal signals an ambition not merely to reform the federal arrangement but to dismantle it. With constitutional arithmetic working against the party in the upper house, the debate is likely to intensify before any legislative move becomes viable. How the RSP navigates the National Assembly gap — and whether coalition arithmetic shifts — will determine whether this remains a policy paper or becomes a constitutional flashpoint.