The Nepalese Constitution Day is a public holiday in Nepal that will be celebrated on September 19 every year. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 2015 Constitution of Nepal that officially consolidated the country’s transition from a constitutional monarchy to a federal republic.

The Colombo Plan Staff College wishes to send its greetings to its Nepalese brothers and sisters in the commemoration of this special day.

History

(From Office Holidays, 2021). This holiday was first observed in 2016 on the first anniversary of the promulgation of the new Constitution. Nepal is governed according to the Constitution which came into effect on September 20th 2015, replacing the Interim Constitution of 2007.

This was the first full-fledged constitution to be drafted by democratically elected representatives after the South Asian country became a federal democratic republic in 2008 following the overthrow of the 240-year monarchy. The process to enact a new Constitution has been a drawn-out one, with several efforts to produce a new Constitution drafted since 2008.

The 2015 Constitution restructured Nepal into a federal republic, dividing the nation into seven provinces, some of which are still named by their temporary numbers. It also completed the transition of Nepal from constitutional monarchy to republicanism and from a unitary system to federalism.

In 2019, at the Army parade ground, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that the day should create a feeling of celebration among all Nepalis.

“We Nepalis were starving for this day for the past seven decades. The day when we were liberated from suppression is also an independence day and a day to celebrate our achievements,” Oli said.

As a new holiday with no historical traditions, the government has been pushing this as a holiday with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration having to issue notifications urging all district coordination committees and local levels to celebrate the upcoming Constitution Day with "pomp and grandeur".

2011 Celebrations

(Article from the Himalayan Times, 9 September 2021). The seventh Constitution Day will be observed as the National Day from September 18 to 20 in the country and abroad. On the occasion, an illumination ceremony will be organized in the country and in Nepali embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.

A meeting of relevant committees was held on September 9. They urged the government, community and private media to publicize the day. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. They also decided to ask the media to broadcast the information and request the people to hoist the national flag at their houses with high respect on the occasion of Constitution Day.

Arrangements will be made to send messages related to the day through Nepal Telecom, broadcast them on display boards and organize special talks and panel discussions, and disseminate awareness programs through national-level media.

It has been decided to broadcast or transmit various write-ups, news, feature news, interviews and new programs spreading the message on the significance of the constitution through government-owned media houses such as Rastriya Samachar Samiti, Nepal Television, Radio Nepal and Gorkhapatra Corporation.

References

  • Office Holidays (2021). Nepali Constitution Day in Nepal 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/nepal/nepali-constitution-day
  • Public Holidays Global (2018). Constitution Day 2018 and 2019. Retrieved from: https://publicholidays.asia/nepal/constitution-day/
  • Rastriya Samachar Samiti (9 September 2021). Constitution Day to be Held by Hoisting Flags. The Himalayan Times. Retrieved from: https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/constitution-day-to-be-observed-by-hoisting-flags