The Second Constituent Assembly of Nepal, later converted to the Legislature Parliament (), was a unicameral legislature of Nepal. It was elected in the 2013 Constituent Assembly elections after the failure of the first Constituent Assembly (CA) to promulgate a new constitution. The Assembly converted into a legislative parliament after the constitution was promulgated in 2015. The legislature parliament's term ended on 14 October 2017.
Opening Former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, the oldest member of the house, assumed chairmanship of the CA on January 20, 2014 and administered the oath of office to 565 lawmakers at the first meeting of the assembly on January 21, 2014. Leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) and Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN (Maoist)) pledged to draft a new constitution within a year. More than 80% of the members were new faces.
Power-sharing discussions
On January 26, 2014, President Ram Baran Yadav called for the election of a Prime Minister and the formation of a consensus government within a week as per article 38(1) of the constitution which provided for the formation of government through political understanding."Article 38 (1) states, 'The Council of Ministers shall be formed under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, on the basis of political understanding.'... Article 38 (2) states,' Failing to forge an understanding as referred to in clause (1), the Prime Minister shall be elected by a majority of the total number of the then members of the Legislature-Parliament'." The Nepali Congress obtained the support of the CPN-UML for a NC-led consensus government and the two parties also agreed to hold local body elections within six months and adopt a new constitution within a year.'Singh further informed that the discussions between the two parties, held right after the second meeting of Legislature Parliament, culminated with the resolution on holding the local body election within six months and promulgating the constitution within a year. "Both the parties have agreed to hold the local body election within six months," Singh said, "A consensus has also been reached to draft the new constitution within one year."' An all-party meeting followed at which the CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and MPRF-Loktantrik expressed support for a government under Sushil Koirala. The Rashtriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-N) boycotted the meeting. Further discussions were held between the NC, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) at which the Maoists expressed support for the idea of a NC-led government but did not agree to join the government and decided to stay in opposition. On February 2, 2014, the NC abandoned its pursuit of a consensus government under article 38(1) of the constitution after the UCPN (Maoist) and RPP-N, the third and fourth largest parties, decided not to join the government. The party then initiated talks with the CPN-UML to form a majority government under article 38(2) of the constitution.
Composition
A total of thirty political parties and two independents were represented at the start of the second constituent assembly. However, some parties later merged and the number of parties declined. Party Leader in ParliamentSeatsNepali CongressSher Bahadur Deuba 207Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)K. P. Sharma Oli 181Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre)Pushpa Kamal Dahal 82Rastriya Prajatantra Party Kamal Thapa 37Rastriya Janata Party NepalMahendra Yadav24Nepal Democratic ForumBijay Kumar Gachhadar18Federal Socialist Forum NepalAshok Rai15Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist)CP Mainali5Nepal Workers Peasants PartyNarayan Man Bijukchhe4Rastriya JanamorchaChitra Bahadur K.C.3 Communist Party of Nepal (United)Sunil Babu Pant3 Nepal Pariwar DalEk Nath Dhakal2Akhanda Nepal PartyKumar Khadka1Nepali Janata DalHari Charan Sah1Khambuwan Rastriya Morcha, NepalRam Kumar Rai1Bouddhik Prajatantrik ParishadLaxman Rajbanshi1Jana Jagaran Party NepalLokmani Dhakal1Sanghiya Sadbhawna PartyDimple Kumari Jha1Socialist People's PartyPrem Bahadur Singh1Federal Democratic National Forum (Tharuhat)Rukmini Chaudhary1Bahujan Shakti PartyBiswendra Paswan1Naya Shakti Party, NepalGanga Satgauwa Chaudhary1Independents-2
Committees The following parliamentary committees were formed: State Affairs Committee Public Accounts Committee Environment Protection Committee International Relations and Labour Committee Legislation Committee Good Governance and Monitoring Committee Industry Commerce and Consumer Welfare Committee Women, Children, Senior Citizen and Social Welfare Committee Development Committee Agriculture and Water Resources Committee Finance Committee Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee
See also
List of members elected in the 2013 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election
References