Once again revival of concept of "dual sovereignty?"
February 2, 2007 (Press Release) --
In most countries wedded to Parliamentary democracy, certain functions of the State are assigned to the head of the State. For example, the Government elected by the people is sworn in by the head of the State, the armed forces have the head of the State as its supreme Commander, and heads of various Constitutional bodies such as the Supreme Court, the Comptroller and Auditor General (in case of India) etc are sworn in by the head of the State.
Nepal, which has opted for Parliamentary Democracy after the Jana Andolan (People's agitation) II ending on April 24, 2006, should normally have the reigning King of the Shah dynasty, in this case King Gyanendra, as the head of the State as was the case in the 1990 Constitution, has however, decided to dump the monarchy according to the Interim Constitution adopted on January 15 late evening. Although not specifically mentioning that the Prime Minister is the head of the State at present, the Interim Constitution has accepted the present incumbent, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, as the virtual head of the State.
This position of Mr. Koirala was buttressed by the fact that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Mr. Dilip Kumar Poudel, had agreed to be sworn in by Mr. Koirala afresh although originally, before the interim Constitution had come into force, he was sworn in by King Gyanendra. This single incident can be treated as the recognition by the people that Mr. Koirala is now the effective head of the State. The provision in the Nov.8 agreement between the Maoists and the Seven Party Alliance that the status of the monarchy will be decided at the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (to be elected by the first week of June), now becomes a mere formality.
Thus Girija Prasad, whose elder brother the Late Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala was the virtual leader of the people's revolt against the Ranas in the late nineteen forties, and against the monarchical autocracy since December 15,1960 till his death in 1982, has achieved the present status by relentlessly continuing his struggle against absolute monarchy between 1982 and 1990 after the death of his elder brother, and then again since 2002 when it was the turn of King Gyanendra to introduce a newer form of absolute monarchy.
Mr. Koirala has proved his worth. He has made the Maoists give up arms first before they join the Government Probably no other party than the Nepali Congress and no other leader than Girija Prasad Koirala, could have achieved this feat. For future historians, he will be treated as the second Amsuvarman of Nepal!
Nepal, which has opted for Parliamentary Democracy after the Jana Andolan (People's agitation) II ending on April 24, 2006, should normally have the reigning King of the Shah dynasty, in this case King Gyanendra, as the head of the State as was the case in the 1990 Constitution, has however, decided to dump the monarchy according to the Interim Constitution adopted on January 15 late evening. Although not specifically mentioning that the Prime Minister is the head of the State at present, the Interim Constitution has accepted the present incumbent, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, as the virtual head of the State.
This position of Mr. Koirala was buttressed by the fact that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, Mr. Dilip Kumar Poudel, had agreed to be sworn in by Mr. Koirala afresh although originally, before the interim Constitution had come into force, he was sworn in by King Gyanendra. This single incident can be treated as the recognition by the people that Mr. Koirala is now the effective head of the State. The provision in the Nov.8 agreement between the Maoists and the Seven Party Alliance that the status of the monarchy will be decided at the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (to be elected by the first week of June), now becomes a mere formality.
Thus Girija Prasad, whose elder brother the Late Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala was the virtual leader of the people's revolt against the Ranas in the late nineteen forties, and against the monarchical autocracy since December 15,1960 till his death in 1982, has achieved the present status by relentlessly continuing his struggle against absolute monarchy between 1982 and 1990 after the death of his elder brother, and then again since 2002 when it was the turn of King Gyanendra to introduce a newer form of absolute monarchy.
Mr. Koirala has proved his worth. He has made the Maoists give up arms first before they join the Government Probably no other party than the Nepali Congress and no other leader than Girija Prasad Koirala, could have achieved this feat. For future historians, he will be treated as the second Amsuvarman of Nepal!
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