Provincial governments of Nepal
Governments of the 7 Nepalese provinces
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4]
| Assembly | Meeting place | Seats | Speaker | Deputy Speaker | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koshi Province | Biratnagar, Morang | 93 | Ambar Bahadur Bista | Sirjana Danuwar | 2nd Assembly |
| Madhesh Province | Janakpur, Dhanusha | 107 | Ram Chandra Mandal | Babita Devi Raut Ishar | 2nd Assembly |
| Bagmati Province | Hetauda, Makwanpur | 110 | Bhuwan Kumar Pathak | Apsara Chapagai | 2nd Assembly |
| Gandaki Province | Pokhara, Kaski | 60 | Krishna Prasad Dhital | Bina Kumari Thapa | 2nd Assembly |
| Lumbini Province | Bhalubang, Dang | 87 | Tularam Gharti Magar | Menuka Khand K.C. | 2nd Assembly |
| Karnali Province | Birendranagar, Surkhet | 40 | Nanda Gurung | Yashoda Neupane | 2nd Assembly |
| Sudurpashchim Province | Godawari, Kailali | 53 | Bhim Bahadur Bhandari | Koili Devi Chaudhary | 2nd Assembly |
Executive
▌Nepali Congress (4 provinces)
▌CPN (UML) (3 provinces)
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.[5]
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.[6] 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.[7]
The assembly can force the resignation of the chief minister with a vote of no confidence.[8]
| Province | Chief Minister | Party | Took office | Cabinet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koshi | Hikmat Kumar Karki | CPN (UML) | 9 May 2024 | H. K. Karki III | |
| Madhesh | Krishna Prasad Yadav | Congress | 4 December 2025 | KP Yadav | |
| Bagmati | Indra Bahadur Baniya | Congress | 5 August 2025 | Baniya | |
| Gandaki | Surendra Raj Pandey | Congress | 29 May 2024 | Pandey II | |
| Lumbini | Chet Narayan Acharya | CPN (UML) | 24 July 2024 | Acharya | |
| Karnali | Yam Lal Kandel | CPN (UML) | 10 April 2024 | Kandel | |
| Sudurpashchim | Kamal Bahadur Shah | Nepali Congress | 5 August 2024 | Shah II | |
Cabinet of Koshi
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Assumed office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister All other ministries not allocated to anyone. |
Hikmat Kumar Karki | CPN (UML) | Jhapa 5(A) | 9 May 2024[9][10] | |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Pradip Kumar Sunuwar | Congress | Okhaldhunga 1(A) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 3 | Minister for Tourism, Forest, and Environment | Bhim Parajuli | Congress | Morang 4(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 6 | Minister for Water Supply, Irrigation and Energy | Tilchan Pathak | CPN (UML) | Jhapa 2(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 5 | Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Indra Mani Parajuli | CPN (UML) | Dhankuta 1(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 6 | Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning | Bidur Kumar Lingthep | CPN (UML) | Sankhuwasabha 1(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 7 | Minister for Social Development | Ram Prasad Mahato | CPN (UML) | Sunsari 2(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 8 | Minister for Health | Man Bahadur Limbu | Congress | Morang 3(A) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 9 | Minister for Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Esrael Mansuri | Congress | Sunsari 4(B) | 6 January 2026 | |
| State ministers | ||||||
| 9 | Minister of State for Internal Affairs and Law | Umakanta Gautam | CPN (UML) | Morang 1(A) | 6 January 2026 | |
| 10 | Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure Development | Shobha Chemjong | Congress | Party list | 6 January 2026 | |
Cabinet of Madhesh Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister All other ministries not allocated to anyone. |
Krishna Prasad Yadav | Congress | Rautahat 1 (B) | 5 December 2025[11] | |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Mohammad Sameer | CPN (UML) | Bara 3 (B) | 26 May 2026[12][13] | |
| 3 | Minister for Finance | Yubaraj Bhattarai | NCP | Rautahat 4 (A) | 26 May 2026[12][10] | |
| 4 | Minister for Sports and Social Welfare | Lakhan Das Tatma | CPN (UML) | Dhanusha 2 (A) | 26 May 2026[12][10] | |
| 5 | Minister for Forest and Environment | Shankar Prasad Chaudhary | Congress | Parsa 4 (A) | 31 December 2025[14][15] | |
| 6 | Minister for Labour and Transport | Sharada Devi Thapa | CPN (UML) | Mahottari 1 (A) | 26 May 2026[12][10] | |
| 7 | Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism | Kanish Patel | NCP | Rautahat 2 (B) | 15 December 2025[16][17] | |
| 8 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Shyam Prasad Patel | Congress | Parsa 2 (A) | 31 December 2025[14][15] | |
| 9 | Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water | Jawahar Lal Kushwaha | NCP | Sarlahi 3 (A) | 15 December 2025[16][17] | |
| 10 | Minister for Home Affairs, Communications and Law | Fakeera Mahato | NCP | Sarlahi 4 (B) | 31 December 2025[14][15] | |
| 11 | Minister for Education and Culture | Manoj Kumar Singh | CPN (UML) | Siraha 3 (A) | 26 May 2026[12][10] | |
| 12 | Minister for Health and Population | Nagendra Sah | Congress | Rautahat 1 (A) | 26 May 2026[12][10] | |
Cabinet of Bagmati Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Indra Bahadur Baniya | Nepali Congress | Makwanpur 1 (B) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 2 | Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development | Madhusudan Paudel | CPN (UML) | Kathmandu 1 (A) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 3 | Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Shivraj Adhikari | Nepali Congress | PR List | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 4 | Minister for Health | Kiran Thapa Magar | CPN (UML) | Bhaktapur 2 (A) | 24 July 2024 | |
| 5 | Minister for Youth and Sports | Urmila Nepal | Nepali Congress | Lalitpur 1 (B) | 15 August 2025[19] | |
| 6 | Minister for Social Development | Kanchan Chandra Bade | Nepali Congress | Kavre 2 (B) | 15 August 2025[20][19] | |
| 7 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Dinesh Chandra Devkota | CPN (UML) | PR List (Khas Arya) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 8 | Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning | Prabhat Kumar Tamang | Nepali Congress | Rasuwa 1 (A) | 15 August 2025[19] | |
| 9 | Minister for Forest and Environment | Bharat Bahadur K.C. | CPN (UML) | Dolakha 1 (B) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 10 | Minister for Culture and Tourism | Suresh Shrestha | Nepali Congress | Bhaktapur 1 (A) | 15 August 2025[18][19] | |
| 11 | Minister for Labour, Employment and Transportation | Jayaram Thapa | CPN (UML) | Kathmandu 4 (B) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 12 | Minister for Drinking Water, Energy and Irrigation | Krishna Kumar Tamang | Nepali Congress | Sindhupalchok 2 (B) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 13 | Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land and Administration | Bindu Shrestha | CPN (UML) | Party list (Indigenous) | 5 August 2025[18] | |
| 14 | Minister for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation | Binu Rayamajhi Poudel | Nepali Congress | Party list (Khas Arya - Women) | 15 August 2025[19] | |
Cabinet of Gandaki Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Assumed office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers[21] | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister All other ministries not allocated to anyone. |
Surendra Raj Pandey | Congress | Gorkha 2 (B) | 29 May 2024[22] | |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport | Gobinda Bahadur Nepali | CPN (UML) | Party list | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 3 | Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Water Supply | Nanda Prasad Neupane | Congress | Gorkha 1 (B) | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 4 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Jeet Bahadur Sherchan | Congress | Baglung 2 (A) | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 5 | Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives | Bhim Bahadur Karki | CPN (UML) | Kaski 2 (A) | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 6 | Minister for Industry and Tourism | Yashoda Rimal | CPN (UML) | Party list | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 7 | Minister for Social Development, Youth and Sports | Rekha Gurung | Congress | Party list | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 8 | Minister for Health | Laxman Bahadur Pandey | CPN (UML) | Nawalpur 2 (B) | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
| 9 | Minister for Forest and Environment | Namdu Gurung | Congress | Mustang 1 (A) | 15 April 2026[23][24] | |
Cabinet of Lumbini Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Chet Narayan Acharya | CPN (UML) | Arghakhanchi 1 (A) | 24 July 2024[25] | |
| 2 | Minister for Forests and Environment | Badshah Kurmi | Congress | Banke 3 (B) | 24 July 2024[25] | |
| 3 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Ratna Bahadur Khatri | CPN (UML) | Banke 3 (A) | 8 June 2026[26] | |
| 4 | Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives | Tulsi Prasad Chaudhary | CPN (UML) | Rupandehi 3 (B) | 8 June 2026[26] | |
| 5 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Dhanendra Karki | Congress | Gulmi 1 (B) | 24 July 2024[25] | |
| 6 | Minister for Urban Development and Water Supply | Saroj Thapa | Congress | Pyuthan 1 (B) | 24 July 2024[25] | |
| 7 | Minister for Industry, Tourism and Transport Management | Prachanda Bikram Neupane | Congress | Dang 2 (B) | 24 July 2024[25] | |
| 8 | Minister for Health | Ramji Prasad Ghimire | CPN (UML) | Arghakhanchi 1 (B) | 8 June 2026[26] | |
| 9 | Ministry for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation | Dilli Raj Bhusal | CPN (UML) | Gulmi 2 (A) | 8 June 2026[26] | |
| 10 | Minister for Interior Affairs and Law | Bhandari Lal Ahir | Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal | Banke 2 (A) | 8 June 2026[26] | |
| 11 | Minister for Social Development | Janma Jaya Timilsina | Congress | Bardiya 2 (A) | ||
| 12 | Ministry for Youth and Sports | Santosh Kumar Pandey | Loktantrik Samajwadi | Rupandehi 3 (A) | ||
Cabinet of Karnali Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister
|
Yam Lal Kandel | CPN (UML) | Surkhet 2 (A) | 9 April 2024[27] | |
| 2 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Rajeev Bikram Shah | Nepali Congress | Jajarkot 1 (B) | 4 August 2024[28][29] | |
| 3 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Binod Kumar Shah | CPN (UML) | Dailekh 2 (B) | 30 April 2024[30] | |
| 4 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development | Sher Bahadur Budha | CPN (UML) | Dolpa 1 (A) | 30 April 2024[30] | |
| 5 | Minister for Social Development | Ghanashyam Bhandari | Nepali Congress | Dailekh 2 (A) | 4 August 2024[28][29] | |
| 6 | Minister for Water Resource and Energy Development | Bijaya Budha | Nepali Congress | Party list | 4 August 2024[28][29] | |
| 7 | Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment | Suresh Adhikari | Nepali Congress | Salyan 1 (B) | 4 August 2024[28][29] | |
| State ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development | Gamata Bishwakarma | CPN (UML) | Party list | 30 April 2024[30] | |
Cabinet of Sudurpashchim Province
| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Kamal Bahadur Shah | Congress | Kailali 2 (A) | 5 August 2024[31][32] | |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Surendra Bahadur Pal | CPN (UML) | Baitadi 1 (A) | ||
| 3 | Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Hira Sarki | Party list (Dalit) | |||
| 4 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Bir Bahadur Thapa | Kanchanpur 1 (A) | |||
| 5 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Bikram Singh Dhami | Nepali Congress | Darchula 1 (A) | 8 June 2026[33][34] | |
| 6 | Minister of Social Development | Vel Bahadur Rana Magar | Achham 1 (A) | |||
| 7 | Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment | Man Bahadur Rawal | Achham 2 (B) | |||
| State Ministers | ||||||
| 1 | Minister of State in the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development | Nirmala Devi Saud | CPN (UML) | Party list (Khas Arya - Backward Area) |
5 August 2024[31][32] | |
| 2 | Minister of State for Social Development | Madhu Devi Bharati | Nepali Congress | Party list (Khas Arya) |
8 June 2026[33][34] | |
| 3 | Minister of State for Economic Affairs | Janu Kumari Dani | Party list (Khas Arya) | |||
Judiciary
The former appellate courts were changed into High Courts after the adoption of the new constitution.[35]
Additional Benches and Extended Benches of Nepal