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Government and Politics
Head of the State
Head of the Government
The Executive
Nepalese Council of Ministers
Names and Addresses of Ministries in Nepal
The Legislative
The Judiciary
Political System
Political Institutions
Major Political Developments
Major Political Developments
  1. The modern history of Nepal begins from 1769 A. D. with the advent of King Prithvi Narayan Shah on the throne of Kathmandu.
  2. Treaty of Sugauli of 1816, with British-India fixed the present boundaries of Nepal.
  3. The Kot Massacre of 1846 relegated the Shah Kings into background. Jung Bahadur Rana became all-in-all, established his family oligarchy. Prime Ministership was to pass from brother to brother in Rana family.
  4. Formation of the Nepal Communist Party took place on September 15, 1949.
  5. The Nepali National Congress merged with the National Democratic Congress on April 9, 1950 to form the Nepali Congress.
  6. In 1951, Rana autocracy was overthrown and the Interim Government of Nepal Act, 1951 was promulgated on February 18, 1951. His Majesty King Tribhuvan declared that Government of our people be carried on henceforth according to a democratic constitution prepared by a constituent assembly elected on the basis of direct universal suffrage.
  7. Promulgation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal took place in 1959.
  8. First General Election starts on February 18, 1959. Nepali Congress wins two-thirds seats (75 out of 109) in the Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives). Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala becomes the first ever-elected Prime Minister of Nepal.
  9. His Majesty King Mahendra dissolves the Parliament on December 15, 1960. Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues are imprisoned. Partyless Panchayat System is introduced, which continued until 1990.
  10. His Majesty King Mahendra passed away on January 31, 1972 and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascended the throne with immediate effect.
  11. His Majesty the King, On May 24, 1979, announces the holding of referendum to decide on whether continue the partyless Panchayat system with suitable reforms or go for the multiparty system of government. Partyless Panchayat system with suitable reforms gets 2, 433,452 votes and wins by a margin of 425,487 against multiparty system that receives 2,007,965 votes as per the referendum held on May 2, 1980.
  12. On February 18, 1990 a three-day National Convention of the Nepali Congress, announced the launching of the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). Several left parties joined the Nepali Congress-led movement.
  13. On April 8, 1990, His Majesty King Birendra set to rest the Partyless Panchayat system.
  14. On April 19, 1990, an interim government headed by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai of the Nepali Congress was formed with the participation of the left parties and King's nominees. Two tasks assigned to this government: framing the democratic constitution and holding general elections on the basis of adult franchise- were accomplished within timeframe.
  15. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 was promulgated by His Majesty the King on November 9. 1990 corresponding to Kartik 23, 2047 V. S. The constitution was prepared by Constitution Reforms Commission and approved by the cabinet.
  16. General Elections are held on May 12, 1991. Voters turn out was 65.5%. Nepali Congress gains majority (114) in the 205 member House of Representatives. Nepal Communist Party (Unified Marxist -Leninist) - NCP (UML) emerges as a formidable opposition with 69 seats.
  17. On May 29,1991, Girija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress becomes the Prime Minister.
  18. Mid-term elections are held in November 1994. No party gets majority. Nepal Communist Party (UML) emerges as the single largest party and forms the minority government, Man Mohan Adhikary becomes the Prime Minister.
  19. Nine-month-old NCP-UML government falls following a no confidence motion, the parliament is dissolved on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court delivers its verdict to reinstate the dissolved House, several coalition governments follow in the hung parliament between 1995-1999.
  20. Third General Elections are organized in two phases; on May 3 and 17, Nepali Congress gets majority. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was sworn in as Prime Minister on May 31, 1999, he resigns on March 20, 2000 and G. P. Koirala forms a new government on March 21, 2000.
  21. Their Majesties King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, His Royal Highnss Prince Nirajan Bir Bikram Shah, Her Royal Highness Princess Shruti Rajya Laxmi Devi Rana and other members of the Royal Family passed away on Friday, June 1, 2001.
  22. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ascended the throne on Jestha 19, 2058 V. S. (June 1, 2001). Due to the physical infirmity of His Majesty King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, the younger brother of His late Majesty King Birendra and paternal uncle of His Majesty King Dipendra, proclaimed as the Regent of the Kingdom of Nepal by the Raj Parishad.
  23. The Raj Parishad declared His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah as the King of the Kingdom of Nepal immediately after the passing away of His Majesty King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on Jestha 22, 2058 Vikram Sambat corresponding to June 4, 2001.
  24. The twentieth session of the Parliament convenes on June 25, 2001. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala proposes fourteen points for national consensus on major issues confronting the nation.
  25. His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev addresses the Joint Session of Parliament on June 29, 2001 and outlines Government's policies and programs.
  26. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resigns on July 19, 2001. In his resignation he says he prefers new initiatives and roles to solve the existing problems facing the country to the continuation as Prime Minister. This is to protect democracy and save the Nepali Congress from aimless and endless conflicts.
  27. Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba is elected by the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party to be its leader on July 22, 2001 and subsequently appointed the Prime Minister of Nepal by His Majesty the King. Mr. Deuba was Prime Minister of the coalition government for 18 months in 1995-1997. He is sworn in as Prime Minister on July 26, 2001




Royal Nepalese Embassy, Washington DC, USA
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