The Government of Nepal () is the central executive authority of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The head of state is the President and the Prime Minister holds the position of the head of executive. The role of the president is largely ceremonial as the functioning of the government is managed entirely by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the Parliament. The Prime Minister selects all the other ministers; together they form the Council of Ministers. The heads of constitutional bodies are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, with the exception of the Attorney General, who is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
The current government is headed by Balendra Shah since 27 March 2026, after Rastriya Swatantra Party won a landslide victory in 2026 general election.
History Bharadari government The character of government in the Kingdom of Nepal was derived from the consultative state capacity of the previous Gorkha hill principality, known as Bharadar. These Bharadars were drawn from high caste and politically influential families. For instance, the Thar Ghan aristocratic group in the earlier Gorkha hill principality. Bharadars formed a consultative body in the kingdom for the most important functions of the state as councillors, ministers and diplomats. There was no one single successful coalition government as court politics were driven by large factional rivalries, consecutive conspiracies and ostracization of opponent Bharadar families through assassination rather than legal expulsion. Another reason was the minority of the reigning King between 1777 and 1847 that led to the establishment of anarchical rule. The government was stated to have been controlled by regents, Mukhtiyars and alliances of political factions with strong fundamental support. In the end of the 18th century, the central politics was regularly dominated by two notable political factions: Thapas and Pandes. As per historians and contemporary writer Francis Hamilton, the government of Nepal comprised
1 Chautariya 4 Kajis 4 Sirdar/Sardars 2 Subedars 1 Khazanchi 1 Kapardar.
As for Regmi states, the government of Nepal comprised 4 Chautariyas 4 Kajis 4 Sirdar/Sardars. Later, the number varied after King Rana Bahadur Shah abdicated his throne to minor son in 1799. There were 95 Bharadars as per the copper inscription of King Rana Bahadur Shah.
In 1794, King Rana Bahadur Shah came of age and his first act was to re-constitute the government such that his uncle, Prince Bahadur Shah of Nepal, had no official part to play. Rana Bahadur appointed Kirtiman Singh Basnyat as Chief (Mul) Kaji among the newly appointed four Kajis though Damodar Pande was the most influential Kaji. Kirtiman had succeeded Abhiman Singh Basnyat as Chief Kaji while Prince Bahadur Shah was succeeded as Chief (Mul) Chautariya by Prince Ranodyot Shah, then heir apparent of King Rana Bahadur Shah by a Chhetri Queen Subarna Prabha Devi. Kajis had held the administrative and executive powers of nation after the fall of Chief Chautariya Prince Bahadur Shah in 1794. Later, Kirtiman Singh was secretly assassinated on 28 September 1801, by the supporters of Raj Rajeshwari Devi and his brother Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat, was then given the post of Chief (Mul) Kaji. Later Damodar Pande was appointed by Queen Rajrajeshwari as Chief Kaji. When the exiled abdicated King Rana Bahadur Shah prepared his return in 1804, he arrested many government officials including then Chief Kaji Damodar Pande and sacked the reigning government. He took over the administration of Nepal by assuming the position of Mukhtiyar (chief authority). A new government was constituted with favoring officials. Bhimsen Thapa was made a second kaji; Ranajit Pande, who was the father-in-law of Bhimsen's brother, was made the Mul (Chief) Kaji; Sher Bahadur Shah, Rana Bahadur's half-brother, was made the Mul (Chief) Chautariya; while Rangnath Paudel was made the Raj Guru (royal spiritual preceptor). Later in April 1806, tensions arose between Chief Chautariya Sher Bahadur Shah and Mukhtiyar Rana Bahadur Shah on the night of 25 April 1806 during a meeting at Tribhuvan Khawas's house where around 10 pm, Sher Bahadur in desperation drew a sword and killed Rana Bahadur Shah before being cut down by nearby courtiers, Bam Shah and Bal Narsingh Kunwar, also allies of Bhimsen. The assassination of Rana Bahadur Shah triggered a great massacre in Bhandarkhal (a royal garden east of Kathmandu Durbar) and at the bank of Bishnumati river after which Kaji Bhimsen killed 55 senior officials to benefit from the chaos. He was declared Mukhtiyar (Chief Authority) of Nepal and led the new government from a royal mandate of minor King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah.
Mukhtiyars ruled over the executive and administrative functions of the state until its replacement by the British conventional prime minister in 1843 conferred upon then ruling Mukhtiyar Mathabar Singh Thapa.
Ideals of the old Bharadari government The policies of the old Bharadari governments were derived from ancient Hindu texts as Dharmashastra and Manusmriti. The king was considered an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and was the chief authority over legislative, judiciary and executive functions. The judiciary functions were decided on the principles of Hindu Dharma codes of conduct. The king had full rights to expel any person who offended the country and also pardon the offenders and grant return to the country. In practice, the government was not an absolute monarchy due to the dominance of Nepalese political clans making the Shah monarch a puppet ruler. These basic Hindu templates provide the evidence that Nepal was administered as a Hindu state.
Republic (2008–present) The transition to a republic was a pivotal moment in the history of Nepal, marking the end of the 240-year-old Shah dynasty. Following a decade-long civil war and significant political upheaval, a Comprehensive Peace Accord was signed in November 2006. In December 2007, an agreement was reached to abolish the monarchy after the upcoming elections. On 28 May 2008, the newly elected Constituent Assembly overwhelmingly voted to declare Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic. Ram Baran Yadav became the first President of the republic in July 2008, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal was elected as the first Prime Minister in August 2008.
Structure
Legislature
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Dol Prasad Aryal
Chairperson of the National Assembly: Narayan Prasad Dahal
Executive President
President: Ram Chandra Paudel
Vice president
Vice President: Ram Sahaya Yadav
Prime minister
Prime Minister: Balendra Shah
Cabinet, ministries and agencies
+Ministries and departments of the Government of Nepal#MinistryDepartment(s)EnglishNepali1.Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Department of Information2.Ministry of FinanceDepartment of CustomsInland Revenue Department Department of Money Laundering Investigation3.Ministry of Home AffairsDepartment of Immigration Department of National ID and Civil Registration Department of Criminal Assets Management Department of Prison Management4.Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Department of Electricity Development Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Department of Water Resources and Irrigation5. Ministry of Infrastructure DevelopmentDepartment of RoadsDepartment of Transport ManagementDepartment of RailwaysDepartment of Local Infrastructure DevelopmentDepartment of Urban Development and Building ConstructionDepartment of Water Supply and Sewerage Management6.Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs7.Ministry of Information and CommunicationsDepartment of PrintingDepartment of Information TechnologyDepartment of Information and Broadcasting Postal Services Department8.Ministry of Youth, Labour and EmploymentDepartment of Foreign EmploymentDepartment of Labour and Occupational Safety9.Ministry of Foreign AffairsDepartment of Passport Department of Consular Services10.Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General AdministrationDepartment of Co-operativesDepartment of Land Management and Archive Department of Survey Department of National Personnel Records Department of Federal Affairs11.Ministry of Industry, Commerce and SuppliesDepartment of IndustryDepartment of Mines and GeologyDepartment of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection12.Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security Department of Women and Children13. Ministry of Health and Food HygieneDepartment of Health ServicesDepartment of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine Department of Drug AdministrationDepartment of Food Technology and Quality Control14.Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil AviationDepartment of ArchaeologyDepartment of Tourism15.Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and EnvironmentDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of Livestock ServicesDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife ConservationDepartment of Forests and Soil ConservationDepartment of EnvironmentDepartment of Plant Resources16.Ministry of Education and SportsDepartment of Education17.Ministry of Defence18. Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Constitutional bodies Constitutional body Head of constitutional body Website Position/Title NameSpecialized Commissions Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Chief Commissioner Prem Kumar Rai official website Public Service Commission Chairman Madhav Prasad Regmi official website Election Commission Chief Election Commission Dinesh Thapaliya official website National Human Rights Commission Chairman Top Bahadur Magar official website National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Chairman Balananda Poudel official website Office of the Auditor General Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma (Dangal) official websiteOther Commissions National Women Commission Chairman Kamala Kumari Parajuli official website National Dalit CommissionChairmanDevraj Bishwokarmaofficial website National Inclusion CommissionActing ChairmanHaridatta Joshiofficial website Indigenous Nationalities CommissionChairmanRam Bahadur Thapa Magar official website Madhesi CommissionActing ChairmanJibachha Shahofficial websiteTharu CommissionActing ChairmanSubodh Shingh Tharuofficial website Muslim CommissionActing Chairman Mahamdin Aliofficial website
Security services Security Service Head of agency Website Position/Title Current Head Nepal Army Chief of Army Staff (प्रधान सेनापति) Gen. Ashok Raj Sigdel official websiteNepal Police Inspector General (प्रहरी महानिरीक्षक) Dan Bahadur Karki official websiteArmed Police Force Inspector General (सशस्त्र प्रहरी महानिरीक्षक) Narayan Datta Paudel official websiteNational Investigation Department Chief Investigation DirectorHutaraj Thapa official website
Secretaries Chief Secretary: Govinda Bahadur Karki
Judiciary Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Manoj Kumar Sharma Judges of the Supreme Court of Nepal
Supreme Court
Elections and voting
State and local governments
Finance
Issues Corruption
International organisation participation Nepal is an active participant in various international organisations. It joined the United Nations on 14 December 1955, and has contributed to global peace and stability. Nepal is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), established on 8 December 1985, and hosts its secretariat in Kathmandu. Furthermore, Nepal became a full member of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) on 8 February 2004, and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 23 April 2004. Other memberships include UNDP, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, UNCTAD, UNESCO, and WHO.
See also Local self-government in Nepal List of mayors of places in Nepal
Notes
References
Works cited
External links