Bidya Devi Bhandari (, ; born 19 June 1961) is a Nepali politician who is serving as the second and current
president of Nepal
The president of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको राष्ट्रपति, translit=Nēpālakō Rāṣṭrapati) is the head of state of Nepal and the commander-in-chief of the Nepalese Armed Forces.
The president is indirectly elected ...
. She formerly served as the minister of defence and minister of environment and population.
She is the
first woman to hold the office in the country. She served as the vice-chairperson of the
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (; abbr. CPN (UML)) is the largest political party in Nepal on the basis of memberships. As per the results of recent elections, ''CPN (UML)'' stands as the second largest party of Nepal ...
and was the chair of the All Nepal Women's Association before being elected president.
Bhandari previously served as the
Minister of Defence
A defence minister or minister of defence is a Cabinet (government), cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from coun ...
, the first woman to hold the office, from 2009 to 2011.
She also served as the Minister of Environment and Population in 1997, and has been an active campaigner for environmental awareness and women's rights in Nepal. In June 2017, she visited the headquarters of the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
in Gland, Switzerland and met with the director general
Inger Andersen to discuss enhanced collaboration on nature conservation and sustainable development. In 2016,
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
placed her as number 52 in their
list of the world's 100 most powerful women.
Early life
Bhandari was born on 19 June 1961 in
Mane Bhanjyang
Mane Bhanjyang is a village development committee in Bhojpur District in Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. According to 1991 census, it had a population of 2,832 living in 503 individual households. Mane Bhanjyang is the birthplace and hometown ...
,
Bhojpur, to Ram Bahadur Pandey and Mithila Pandey. She completed her school level education in Bhojpur and pursued her higher education in Biratnagar, Morang. Her political career began from a leftist student union. She joined the
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) in 1980.
Political career
Bhandari was active in politics from an early age. According to the details provided by the CPN (UML), Bhandari joined politics as an activist of the Youth League of CPN (ML) in 1978, from Bhojpur. She played a role as an in-charge for Eastern Zone Committee of ANNFSU from 1979 to 1987. Her active political journey, however, started when she received party membership from the CPN (ML) in 1980. After completing her school level study, Bhandari was enrolled in
Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus where she was elected treasurer of the students' union. Also, she played a pivotal role as a chairperson of the women's wing of
GEFONT
The General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) ( ne, नेपाल ट्रेड यूनियन महासंघ) is a confederation of 20 national trade union federations. It is politically tied to the Communist Party of Nep ...
from 1993 until being elected a central committee member of the CPN (UML) in 1997.
Bhandari was first elected to the parliament in a by-election in January 1994, caused by the death of her husband, the sitting member from
Kathmandu–1, where she defeated former prime minister
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (Nepali: कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई; 13 December 19244 March 2011) also known as Kishunji was a Nepalese political leader. He was one of the main leaders involved in transitioning Nepal from a ...
. In the
1994 general election, she was elected from
Kathmandu–2, defeating house speaker
Daman Nath Dhungana
Daman Nath Dhungana is a Nepali politician and former house speaker. He played an instrumental role during the Nepal peace process between 2003 and 2009. His role as the first house speaker after the establishment of constitutional monarchy, i ...
. She served as the Minister for Environment and Population in a coalition government led by prime minister
Lokendra Bahadur Chand
Lokendra Bahadur Chand ( ne, लोकेन्द्र बहादुर चन्द born 15 February 1940) was the 27th prime minister of Nepal four times: from 1983 to 1986, briefly during April 1990, briefly during 1997 and from October 2 ...
in 1997. She was re-elected from Kathmandu–2 in the
1999 general election. However, she was defeated in the
2008 Constituent Assembly poll, and was later nominated under the proportional electoral system. She served as the
Minister of Defence
A defence minister or minister of defence is a Cabinet (government), cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from coun ...
in the
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
of prime minister
Madhav Kumar Nepal
Madhav Kumar Nepal ( ne, माधवकुमार नेपाल, ; born 6 March 1953), is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served as Prime Minister of Nepal from 25 May 2009 to 6 February 2011 for nearly two years. ...
. She was re-elected under the proportional electoral system in the
2013 elections. Her influence in the party remained dominant when she was elected as vice-chairperson of the CPN (UML) in its eighth general convention held in
Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
. Bhandari, who was re-elected vice-chairperson in the party's next general convention, is considered a close confidante to party chairman and prime minister
KP Sharma Oli
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
.
After the promulgation of the new constitution in 2015, Bhandari was elected president by an
indirect election
An indirect election or ''hierarchical voting'' is an election in which voters do not choose directly among candidates or parties for an office (direct voting system), but elect people who in turn choose candidates or parties. It is one of the old ...
held in the parliament on 28 October 2015. She defeated Nepali Congress' Kul Bahadur Gurung, receiving 327 votes against Gurung's 214 votes. She thus became Nepal's second president and first female head of state. She was re-elected in
2018, defeating Congress' Kumari Laxmi Rai.
Controversies
Bhandari has been accused of taking a partisan stance since she was elected president. She held onto the National Assembly election ordinance delaying the formation of the government after the
2017 legislative elections. She also held the nomination of three members to
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
sent by the outgoing
Deuba government but immediately approved the nominations sent in by the incoming Prime Minister
KP Sharma Oli
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
. Bhandari passed the ordinance brought for citizenship brought upon by
KP Sharma Oli
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
government which was finally denied by
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
to be a matter requiring discussion in parliament. After it came being approved by majority from parliament by Deuba cabinet it was denied by her. Bhandari has been accused of taking a partisan stance when she approved both the decisions of cabinet to dissolve the House of Representatives against the Constitution of Nepal. She did not appoint
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba ( ne, शेरबहादुर देउवा, ; born 13 June 1946) is a Nepali politician and former prime minister of Nepal. He has also been serving as the president of the Nepali Congress since 2016. Deuba has served ...
as Prime Minister of Nepal, although showing majority signature present in House. Instead she dissolved parliament supporting
KP Sharma Oli
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
. The decision was challenged by the Supreme Court of Nepal, along with signature of majority (146) MPs. On 12 July 2021, the Supreme Court stated the decision of parliament dissolution by Bhandari was unlawful. Similarly, it ordered to appoint Deuba as the next prime minister of Nepal citing article 76(5) of the
Constitution of Nepal
Constitution of Nepal 2015 ( ne, नेपालको संविधान २०७२) is the present governing Constitution of Nepal.
Nepal is governed according to the Constitution which came into effect on 20 September 2015, replacing the ...
within 28 hours. It stated that the decision made by Bhandari was against the norms of the constitution. This was celebrated by the then opposition alliance led by the
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress ( ne, नेपाली कांग्रेस ; abbr. NC) is the largest social democratic political party in Nepal. As per the results of recent local election, ''Nepali Congress'' stands as the single largest party o ...
, including allies
CPN (Maoist Centre)
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) (), abbreviated CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN Maoist Centre, or CPN (MC), is the third largest political party in Nepal. It was founded in 1994 after breaking away from the Communist P ...
and
Janata Samajbadi Party.
On 13 July 2021, Bhandari appointed Deuba as Prime Minister without including any article of Constitution and stating as per the order of Court. This created cold dispute and people alleged Bhandari of forgetting her limits and being tilted to Oli. After Deuba denied to take oath as per the appointment letter, it was changed and stated that Deuba was made Prime Minister in accordance with article 76(5) marking Deuba's fifth term as Prime Minister.
Personal life
Bidya Devi Bhandari was born on 19 June 1961 in
Manebhanjyang,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. Bhandari was married to
Madan Bhandari
Nepal Ratna Man Padavi Madan Kumar Bhandari ( ne, मदन कुमार भण्डारी) (27 June 1951K.C., Surendra. ''Aitihasik dastavej sangroh - bhag 2''. Kathmandu: Pairavi Prakashan, 2063 B.S.. p 464. – 17 May 1993), common ...
, a popular Nepalese communist leader, who died in a car accident near
Dasdhunga,
Chitwan
Chitwan District (, , ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal, and takes up the southwestern corner of Bagmati Province. Bharatpur, largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu, is its administrative centre. It covers . In 2011 it had a population of 579 ...
in 1993. The couple had two daughters, Usha Kiran Bhandari and Nisha Kusum Bhandari. She is also related to Nepali Congress leader
Gyanendra Bahadur Karki.
References
External links
* of the
President of Nepal
The president of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको राष्ट्रपति, translit=Nēpālakō Rāṣṭrapati) is the head of state of Nepal and the commander-in-chief of the Nepalese Armed Forces.
The president is indirectly elected ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhandari, Bidya
1961 births
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) politicians
Female defence ministers
Female heads of state
Defence ministers of Nepal
Living people
21st-century Nepalese women politicians
21st-century Nepalese politicians
Nepalese Hindus
People from Bhojpur District, Nepal
Presidents of Nepal
Socialist rulers
Women presidents
Nepal MPs 1991–1994
Nepal MPs 1994–1999
Nepal MPs 1999–2002
Members of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly
Independent politicians in Nepal