Statute: Nation’s Pride

Dixya Poudel

Asoj 3 or September 20 is the Constitution Day in Nepal during which the nation commemorates the current constitution, adopted in 2072 BS (2015 AD). It is a public holiday and there are celebrations to mark this milestone in Nepali politics. Interestingly on September 20, 2015, the nation established itself as the youngest republic in the world at that time. As such, Nepal’s struggle for an effective constitution has spanned decades with several changes. 

The first constitution in Nepal was drafted on April 1, 1948 and was called Government of Nepal Act, 1948. It had 68 articles. Then it was followed by Interim Government of Nepal Act, 1951; the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1959; the Constitution of Nepal, 1962; the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990; the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2007 and lastly, the Constitution of Nepal 2015. There have thus been various revisions on the national constitution until Nepal settled for the current constitution. As a republic, Nepal has indeed come far and is even setting eyes on an upgrade to a developing country status by 2026 (according to the UN General Assembly). 

However, it won’t be an easy feat since Nepal faces structural impediments to attain the sustainable development plan. Yet, it isn’t all despondent as there is room for hope as well. Thanks to a relatively stable government, things are looking up for the nation even as its youth sees an exodus due to brain drain and foreign employment. It remains to be seen how Nepal will fare in the upcoming days but as a Republic nation, it does enjoy the status of a democratic country governed with a set of constitutional rules. Its constitution is considered the hallmark of sovereignty and a matter of national pride. 

As such, a constitution “is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents that govern a state or other organisation.” The term constitution itself is derived from the Latin word ‘constitutio’ which means order, system and regulation. Ancient Greek civilisation is credited for implementing the general idea of constitution, particularly through the discourse and writing of Aristotle. Its constitution was considered a democracy that respected the interests of its people. 

Today, nations have established constitution with which they run their government. An interesting fact about constitution is that the oldest written national constitution is the US Constitution which was signed in 1787 and was further ratified in 1788 AD. Every nation requires a set of order, laws and regulations for smooth governance as such rules guarantee an assurance against chaos and disorder. Those who break the rules have to be held accountable through legal bodies. Social justice has to prevail so that there is a semblance of law and order. It is a far cry from anarchy which would lead people astray in an absence of governance. 

Thankfully, the human world gravitates to a sense of order which is why it has divided territories into nations that are further ruled by governments. The security and stability of these governments are further ensured by the national constitution that upholds the nations’ sovereignty.  Since rules and regulations matter in a national scale, Constitution Day is commemorated earnestly in Nepal as it vies for prosperity through a democratic government run by an effective constitution.