2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly
{{short description|Second Constituent Assembly of Nepal (2014–2017)}}
{{Infobox legislative session
| name= Second Constituent Assembly of Nepal
| image=Nepalese Constituent Assembly Building.jpg
| caption=International Convention Centre, Nepal
| body=Constituent Assembly of Nepal
| meeting_place=International Convention Centre
| election=2013 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election
| government=Sushil Koirala cabinet
First Oli cabinet
Second Dahal cabinet
Fourth Deuba cabinet
| term_start=2014
|term_end=2017
|before=1st Constituent Assembly
|after=1st Federal Parliament
|membership1=601
}}
The Second Constituent Assembly of Nepal, later converted to the Legislature Parliament ({{langx|ne|व्यवस्थापिका संसद}}), was a unicameral legislature of Nepal.{{cite web|title=Constituent Assembly|url=http://www.can.gov.np/en|work=Constituent Assembly of Nepal|access-date=22 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121202141/http://www.can.gov.np/en|archive-date=21 January 2014}} It was elected in the 2013 Constituent Assembly elections after the failure of the first Constituent Assembly to promulgate a new constitution.{{cite news|title=CA dissolved; PM proposes fresh election for Nov 22|url=https://www.ekantipur.com/2012/05/28/top-story/ca-dissolved-pm-proposes-fresh-election-for-nov-22/354644.html|access-date=22 January 2014|newspaper=eKantipur|date=28 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402174909/http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/05/28/top-story/ca-dissolved-pm-proposes-fresh-election-for-nov-22/354644.html|archive-date=2 April 2015}} The Assembly converted into a legislative parliament after the constitution was promulgated in 2015. The legislature parliament's term ended on 14 October 2017.{{cite web|title=सकियो ५ सय ९२ सांसदको कार्यकाल, आजैदेखि पूतपूर्व|url=http://www.sajhapost.com/2017/10/21/90177.html|website=Sajha Post|access-date=25 October 2017|archive-date=3 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703133309/http://www.sajhapost.com/2017/10/21/90177.html|url-status=dead}}
Opening
Former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, the oldest member of the house, assumed chairmanship of the CA on January 20, 2014{{cite news|title=Thapa assumes office as head of CA|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68281|access-date=22 January 2014|newspaper=My Republica|date=20 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208111015/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68281|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}} and administered the oath of office to 565 lawmakers at the first meeting of the assembly on January 21, 2014.{{cite news|title=565 CA members sworn in, first CA meet today|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68356|access-date=22 January 2014|newspaper=My Republica|date=22 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208140034/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68356|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}} Leaders of the NC, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) pledged to draft a new constitution within a year.{{cite news|title=Nepal takes step towards new constitution. Political leaders pledge to draw up constitution within a year as new parliament convenes.|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/01/nepal-takes-step-towards-new-constitution-201412332020482362.html|access-date=24 January 2014|newspaper=Al Jazeera|date=23 January 2014}} More than 80% of the members were new faces.{{cite news|title=Nepal's new lawmakers pledge early charter|url=http://www.chinadailyasia.com/news/2014-01/21/content_15114008.html|access-date=24 January 2014|newspaper=China Daily|date=21 January 2014}}
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{{cite news|title=Prez Yadav calls for govt formation before Feb 2|url=http://ekantipur.com/2014/01/26/headlines/Prez-Yadav-calls-for-govt-formation-before-Feb-2/384486/|access-date=27 January 2014|newspaper=eKantipur|date=26 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618194532/http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/01/26/headlines/Prez-Yadav-calls-for-govt-formation-before-Feb-2/384486/|archive-date=18 June 2015|url-status=dead}} as per article 38(1) of the constitution which provided for the formation of government through political understanding.{{cite news|title=Prez gives parties a week to form new govt|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68617|access-date=27 January 2014|newspaper=MyRepublica|date=26 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208164048/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68617|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}"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{{cite news|title=NC-UML meet ends, UML to support NC-led consensus govt|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68651|access-date=27 January 2014|newspaper=MyRepublica|date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208131007/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68651|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}} and the two parties also agreed to hold local body elections within six months and adopt a new constitution within a year.{{cite news|title=UML ready to support Koirala|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/01/27/top-story/uml-ready-to-support-koirala/384535.html|access-date=27 January 2014|newspaper=eKantipur|date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618194020/http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/01/27/top-story/uml-ready-to-support-koirala/384535.html|archive-date=18 June 2015|url-status=dead}}'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 RPP-N boycotted the meeting.{{cite news|title=NC holds all party meet, seeks support for NC-led govt|url=http://trn.gorkhapatraonline.com/index.php/headlines/7167-nc-holds-all-party-meet,-seeks-support-for-nc-led-govt.html|access-date=28 January 2014|newspaper=Gorkhapatra|date=28 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226165408/http://trn.gorkhapatraonline.com/index.php/headlines/7167-nc-holds-all-party-meet%2C-seeks-support-for-nc-led-govt.html|archive-date=26 February 2014|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|title=Three-party meeting ends|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68709|access-date=28 January 2014|newspaper=My Republica|date=28 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208140642/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68709|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|title=NC asks prez to initiate process for majority govt|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68969|access-date=3 February 2014|newspaper=My Republica|date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143830/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=68969|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=UCPN (M) decides not to join govt|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/01/28/fullnews/ucpn-m-decides-not-to-join-govt/384582.html|access-date=28 January 2014|newspaper=eKantipur|date=28 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618195111/http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/01/28/fullnews/ucpn-m-decides-not-to-join-govt/384582.html|archive-date=18 June 2015|url-status=dead}}
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.{{cite news|last=Ansari|first=Gani|title=EC allocates PR seats; 30 parties in new CA|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=65495|access-date=23 January 2014|newspaper=My Republica|date=3 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203024350/http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=65495|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2017/04/30/ruling-coalition-morcha-file-constitution-amendment-bill|title=Ruling coalition, Morcha file amendment proposals to charter revision bill|website=kathmandupost.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}
Committees
The following parliamentary committees were formed:{{cite web|title=समितिहरु|url=http://www.parliament.gov.np/lpsn/public/np/committees|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917213943/http://www.parliament.gov.np/lpsn/public/np/committees|url-status=dead}}
- 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