Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah has tasked his political advisor Asim Shah with preparing a discussion paper on constitutional amendments. The decision, made during a cabinet meeting on Monday, has sparked questions about whether someone without a legal or constitutional background should lead such a critical initiative.
Asim Shah became a proportional representative member of parliament in 2022 from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). Before entering politics, he worked as a film director and is known for movies like ‘Karkash’. The song “Kutmā Kutu” from Dui Rupaiya remains popular on YouTube.
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Historical context of constitutional review in Nepal
Nepal’s constitution envisions a review of commissions and structural provisions every ten years. In 2024, when the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML formed the government, both parties had agreed to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and complexities of the constitution, and propose amendments and related legislation to ensure political stability.
During elections, the RSP’s manifesto included a promise to initiate debates on constitutional amendments.
The party has consistently advocated changing the governance system to support a directly elected executive prime minister.
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Process and scope
Before assigning responsibilities, PM Shah reportedly consulted Asim. The task force will include legal secretaries from the Prime Minister’s Office, define its scope, send letters to all political parties, and hold consultations with experts before drafting the discussion paper.
Importantly, the task force will not itself amend constitution. Its mandate is to gather views and draft discussion document focused on strengthening electoral systems and federal structures, ensuring widespread consultation before any amendments.