The provincial governments of Nepal are the governments ruling over the 7 provinces and have legislative assemblies as well as governments with the head of Council of Ministers in every state being the Chief Minister, who also serves as the head of the government. Power is divided between the Central Government (federal government) and the province governments. The central government appoints a Governor for each province, who serves as the ceremonial head of state.
Each province has a Provincial Assembly, which serves as the unicameral legislature of the province. The Provincial Assembly holds the legislative authority on matters assigned to the provinces by the Constitution of Nepal. Members of the Provincial Assembly are directly elected by the people through a mixed electoral system. The Provincial Assembly is responsible for drafting provincial laws, approving budgets, and cross checking the provincial executive tasks headed by the Chief Minister.
While the Central government handles defense, foreign affairs, citizenship, national economic policy, international trade, and major infrastructure projects etc., provincial governments handles affairs within their respective provinces, including provincial roads, healthcare services, agriculture, tourism, education programs, and regional development projects etc., while implementing federal laws and policies at the provincial level.
Legislative
Each province has a unicameral provincial legislature, varying in size according to the population of the province. The members are elected through first-past-the-post voting and party-list proportional representation for a term of five years, unless dissolved sooner. The first provincial election was held in 2017.
The provincial assemblies are presided over by the Speaker who is elected from amongst the members of the assembly and is not a part of the debates. The speaker is helped by a Deputy Speaker who is also elected from amongst the members. At least one of the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker must be a woman and they must not belong to the same party unless only one party is represented in the assembly. Nanda Gurung is the first and only woman to be elected as the speaker of a provincial assembly. She is currently serving as the Speaker of Karnali Provincial Assembly having been elected in 2023.
The governors of the provinces have the power to summon and prorogue the sessions of the assembly pursuant to the Constitution. The interval between two consecutive sessions of the assemblies cannot exceed six months. If one-fourth of the total members of an assembly make a petition during a prorogation or recess of the assembly, the governor must call a session or a meeting. AssemblyMeeting placeSeatsSpeakerDeputy SpeakerTermKoshi ProvinceBiratnagar, Morang93Ambar Bahadur BistaSirjana Danuwar2nd AssemblyMadhesh ProvinceJanakpur, Dhanusha107Ram Chandra MandalBabita Devi Raut Ishar2nd AssemblyBagmati ProvinceHetauda, Makwanpur110Bhuwan Kumar PathakApsara Chapagai2nd AssemblyGandaki ProvincePokhara, Kaski60Krishna Prasad DhitalBina Kumari Thapa2nd AssemblyLumbini ProvinceBhalubang, Dang87Tularam Gharti MagarMenuka Khand K.C.2nd AssemblyKarnali ProvinceBirendranagar, Surkhet40Nanda GurungYashoda Neupane2nd AssemblySudurpashchim ProvinceGodawari, Kailali53Bhim Bahadur BhandariKoili Devi Chaudhary2nd Assembly
Executive
The executive power of a province is vested in the provincial cabinet. If a cabinet does not exist, the executive power is exercised by the governor of the province.
The head of the provincial cabinet is the chief minister. The governor appoints the leader of the parliamentary party that commands a majority, either alone or with the support of one or more parties, in the provincial assembly as the chief minister. The governor appoints members to the provincial cabinet on the recommendation of the chief minister. The members of the provincial cabinet are responsible for the various departments of the provincial administration. A provincial cabinet can only consist of a maximum of 20% of the total number of members of the provincial assembly. A non-member of a provincial assembly can be appointed as a minister in the cabinet, but must obtain membership of the assembly within six months of their appointment.
The assembly can force the resignation of the chief minister with a vote of no confidence. ProvinceChief MinisterPartyTook officeCabinetKoshiHikmat Kumar Karki9 May 2024H. K. Karki IIIMadheshKrishna Prasad Yadav4 December 2025KP YadavBagmatiIndra Bahadur Baniya5 August 2025BaniyaGandakiSurendra Raj Pandey29 May 2024Pandey IILumbiniChet Narayan Acharya24 July 2024AcharyaKarnaliYam Lal Kandel10 April 2024KandelSudurpashchimKamal Bahadur ShahNepali Congress5 August 2024Shah II
Cabinet of Koshi
S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyAssumed officeCabinet ministers1Chief MinisterHikmat Kumar KarkiJhapa 5(A)9 May 20242Minister for Physical Infrastructure DevelopmentPradip Kumar SunuwarOkhaldhunga 1(A)6 January 20263Minister for Tourism, Forest, and EnvironmentBhim Parajuli Morang 4(B)6 January 20266Minister for Water Supply, Irrigation and EnergyTilchan Pathak Jhapa 2(B)6 January 20265Minister for Internal Affairs and LawIndra Mani ParajuliDhankuta 1(B)6 January 20266Minister for Economic Affairs and PlanningBidur Kumar LingthepSankhuwasabha 1(B)6 January 20267Minister for Social DevelopmentRam Prasad MahatoSunsari 2(B)6 January 20268Minister for HealthMan Bahadur LimbuMorang 3(A)6 January 20269Minister for Industry, Agriculture and CooperativesEsrael Mansuri Sunsari 4(B)6 January 2026State ministers9Minister of State for Internal Affairs and LawUmakanta GautamMorang 1(A)6 January 202610Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure DevelopmentShobha ChemjongParty list6 January 2026
Cabinet of Madhesh Province
S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyTook officeCabinet ministers1Chief MinisterKrishna Prasad YadavRautahat 1 (B)5 December 20252Minister for Physical Infrastructure DevelopmentMohammad Sameer Bara 3 (B)26 May 20263Minister for FinanceYubaraj BhattaraiRautahat 4 (A)26 May 20264Minister for Sports and Social WelfareLakhan Das Tatma Dhanusha 2 (A)26 May 20265Minister for Forest and EnvironmentShankar Prasad ChaudharyParsa 4 (A)31 December 20256Minister for Labour and TransportSharada Devi Thapa Mahottari 1 (A)26 May 20267Minister for Industry, Commerce and TourismKanish Patel Rautahat 2 (B)15 December 20258Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and CooperativesShyam Prasad PatelParsa 2 (A)31 December 20259Minister for Energy, Irrigation and WaterJawahar Lal KushwahaSarlahi 3 (A)15 December 202510Minister for Home Affairs, Communications and LawFakeera MahatoSarlahi 4 (B)31 December 202511Minister for Education and CultureManoj Kumar Singh Siraha 3 (A)26 May 202612Minister for Health and Population Nagendra SahRautahat 1 (A)26 May 2026
Cabinet of Bagmati Province
S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyTook officeCabinet ministers1Chief MinisterIndra Bahadur BaniyaNepali CongressMakwanpur 1 (B)5 August 20252Minister for Agriculture and Livestock DevelopmentMadhusudan PaudelCPN (UML)Kathmandu 1 (A)5 August 20253Minister for Internal Affairs and LawShivraj AdhikariNepali CongressPR List5 August 20254Minister for HealthKiran Thapa MagarCPN (UML)Bhaktapur 2 (A)24 July 20245Minister for Youth and SportsUrmila NepalNepali CongressLalitpur 1 (B)15 August 20256Minister for Social DevelopmentKanchan Chandra BadeNepali CongressKavre 2 (B)15 August 20257Minister for Physical Infrastructure DevelopmentDinesh Chandra DevkotaCPN (UML)PR List (Khas Arya)5 August 20258Minister for Economic Affairs and PlanningPrabhat Kumar TamangNepali CongressRasuwa 1 (A)15 August 20259Minister for Forest and EnvironmentBharat Bahadur K.C.CPN (UML)Dolakha 1 (B)5 August 202510Minister for Culture and TourismSuresh ShresthaNepali CongressBhaktapur 1 (A)15 August 202511Minister for Labour, Employment and TransportationJayaram ThapaCPN (UML)Kathmandu 4 (B)5 August 202512Minister for Drinking Water, Energy and IrrigationKrishna Kumar TamangNepali CongressSindhupalchok 2 (B)5 August 202513Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land and AdministrationBindu ShresthaCPN (UML)Party list (Indigenous)5 August 202514Minister for Cooperatives and Poverty AlleviationBinu Rayamajhi PoudelNepali CongressParty list (Khas Arya - Women)15 August 2025
Cabinet of Gandaki Province
S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyAssumed officeCabinet ministers1Chief MinisterSurendra Raj PandeyGorkha 2 (B)29 May 20242Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and TransportGobinda Bahadur NepaliParty list15 April 20263Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Water SupplyNanda Prasad NeupaneGorkha 1 (B)15 April 20264Minister for Economic AffairsJeet Bahadur SherchanBaglung 2 (A)15 April 20265Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and CooperativesBhim Bahadur KarkiKaski 2 (A)15 April 20266Minister for Industry and TourismYashoda RimalParty list15 April 20267Minister for Social Development, Youth and SportsRekha GurungParty list15 April 20268Minister for Health Laxman Bahadur PandeyNawalpur 2 (B)15 April 20269Minister for Forest and Environment Namdu GurungMustang 1 (A)15 April 2026
Cabinet of Lumbini Province S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyTook officeCabinet ministers1Chief MinisterChet Narayan AcharyaCPN (UML)Arghakhanchi 1 (A)24 July 20242Minister for Forests and EnvironmentBadshah KurmiBanke 3 (B)24 July 20243Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Ratna Bahadur Khatri CPN (UML)Banke 3 (A)8 June 20264Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives Tulsi Prasad Chaudhary CPN (UML) Rupandehi 3 (B)8 June 20265Minister for Economic AffairsDhanendra KarkiGulmi 1 (B)24 July 20246Minister for Urban Development and Water SupplySaroj ThapaPyuthan 1 (B)24 July 20247Minister for Industry, Tourism and Transport ManagementPrachanda Bikram NeupaneDang 2 (B)24 July 20248Minister for Health Ramji Prasad Ghimire CPN (UML)Arghakhanchi 1 (B)8 June 20269Ministry for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Dilli Raj BhusalCPN (UML)Gulmi 2 (A)8 June 202610Minister for Interior Affairs and Law Bhandari Lal AhirJanata Samajbadi Party, NepalBanke 2 (A)8 June 202611Minister for Social DevelopmentJanma Jaya TimilsinaBardiya 2 (A)12Ministry for Youth and SportsSantosh Kumar PandeyRupandehi 3 (A)
Cabinet of Karnali Province
S.N.PortfolioMinister responsiblePolitical PartyConstituencyTook officeCabinet ministers1Chief Minister Minister for Internal Affairs and LawYam Lal KandelCPN (UML)Surkhet 2 (A)9 April 20242Minister for Economic AffairsRajeev Bikram ShahNepali CongressJajarkot 1 (B)4 August 20243Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and CooperativesBinod Kumar ShahCPN (UML)Dailekh 2 (B)30 April 20244Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Urban DevelopmentSher Bahadur BudhaCPN (UML)Dolpa 1 (A)30 April 20245Minister for Social DevelopmentGhanashyam BhandariNepali CongressDailekh 2 (A)4 August 20246Minister for Water Resource and Energy DevelopmentBijaya BudhaNepali CongressParty list4 August 20247Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and EnvironmentSuresh AdhikariNepali CongressSalyan 1 (B)4 August 2024State ministers1Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Urban DevelopmentGamata BishwakarmaCPN (UML)Party list30 April 2024
Cabinet of Sudurpashchim Province