Local government in Nepal is the third level of government division in Nepal, which is administered by the
provincial governments which in turn is beneath the
federal government. Article 56 of the
Constitution of Nepal 2015
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 ...
defines local government as
rural municipalities,
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and
district assemblies.
The governing body of the rural municipalities and municipalities is referred to as the village executive and municipal executive respectively. The district assembly is governed by the
District Coordination Committee District administration makes up the third level of government division in Nepal. The provision for a District Assembly, which acts as the legislature at the district-level, is mentioned in Part 17 of the Constitution of Nepal. The 77 districts of ...
.
There are 77 districts with their own district assembly and 753 local levels (including six
metropolises, 11
sub-metropolises, 276
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and 460
gaunpalika
A gaunpalika ( ne, गाउँपालिका, lit=rural municipality, translit=Gāum̐pālikā ) is an administrative division in Nepal. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (Nepal), Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Devel ...
s) each with their own executive body.
The Constitution of Nepal 2015 (Schedule 8) gives 22 powers to these local levels. This enables them to formulate laws to implement these powers. Besides these single powers, there are 15 such concurrent powers that can be implemented by all three level of state, i.e., federation, province, and local levels, in the principles of coordination, cooperation, and coexistence.
Local governments by type and provinces
Types of local government
The current structure of local governance was established by the Constitution of Nepal, 2015 and the powers and functions of each level of government is derived from the constitution and the Local Government Operations Act, 2017.
District
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 ...
has provisions for a
District Assembly
District Assemblies and City District Government were introduced in 2000 by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf
General Pervez Musharraf ( ur, , Parvez Muśharraf; born 11 August 1943) is a former Pakistani politician and four-star gen ...
to coordinate between municipalities and rural municipalities within the district. The District Assembly consists of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of rural municipalities and mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities within the district. It elects a nine-member
District Coordination Committee District administration makes up the third level of government division in Nepal. The provision for a District Assembly, which acts as the legislature at the district-level, is mentioned in Part 17 of the Constitution of Nepal. The 77 districts of ...
including a chief and deputy chief and at least three women and one member from the
Dalit
Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...
or minority communities for a five-year term. Any member within the village or municipal assembly in local levels within the district are eligible to be elected to the District Coordination Committee and if elected their status as a local representative will lapse.
The District Coordination Committee coordinates between the local levels in the district as well as with the provincial and federal governments and monitor development within the district.
Local level
The Constitution of Nepal has provisions for a Village or Municipal executive which acts as the executive within each local level. The executive is headed by a chairperson in a rural municipality and a
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
in a municipality who is elected by
first-past-the-post voting
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
in their local levels. First-past-the-post voting is also used to elect the vice-chairperson or deputy mayor and ward chairperson for each ward in the local district who are also members of the executive. Four women members and two members from the
Dalit
Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...
or minority communities are also elected to the executive by the Village or Municipal Assembly among themselves.
The Village or Municipal Assembly is defined in the Constitution of Nepal as the legislature of each local level. The assembly is composed of all members elected by
first-past-the-post voting
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
in their local levels. This includes the chairperson and vice-chairperson in rural municipalities or the mayor and deputy mayor in each municipality and ward chairpersons four ward members, among whom at least two must be women, from every ward in the local level. A
Dalit
Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...
or minority community that has been elected to the executive is also a member of the assembly.
A Judicial Committee is also formed in each local level that is led by the vice-chairperson or deputy mayor of each local level and two members elected by the assembly.
Wards
Each ward of a local level also has a ward committee that is composed of the ward chairperson and four ward members elected by
first-past-the-post voting
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
. The ward committee oversees the administration of the concerned ward in each local level.
Historical divisions
Nepal was divided into four
development regions in 1971 by the Local Administration Act, 1971 and one more development region was added by the second amendment of the act in 1980. Each development region consisted of two or three
zones
Zone or The Zone may refer to:
Places Climate and altitude zones
* Death zone (originally the lethal zone), altitudes above a certain point where the amount of oxygen is insufficient to sustain human life for an extended time span
* Frigid zone, ...
and each zone was further divided into
districts.
See also
*
Government of Nepal
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
*
List of cities in Nepal
Cities and towns in Nepal are incorporated under municipality. A municipality in Nepal is a sub-unit of a district. The Government of Nepal has set-out a minimum criteria for municipalities. These criteria include a certain population, infr ...
*
List of gaunpalikas of Nepal
Gaunpalika ( ne, गाउँपालिका, lit=Rural municipal, translit=gāunpālikā}) is the newly formed lower administrative division in Nepal. This administrative division was established in 2017, and replaced the existing Village dev ...
References
{{Government of Nepal
Local government in Nepal