Nepal has three levels of government: federal, provincial and local. Questions on the provincial level are now common in Lok Sewa GK and Constitution papers, especially about the Province Head, the Chief Minister and the Provincial Assembly. This note explains each part in plain language, followed by a seat table for all seven provinces.
1. Where the provincial government is in the Constitution
| Part / Schedule | Subject |
|---|---|
| Part 13 | Provincial Executive (Province Head, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers) |
| Part 14 | Provincial Legislature (Provincial Assembly) |
| Schedule 6 | Exclusive powers of the province (21 items) |
| Schedule 7 | Concurrent powers of federation and province (25 items) |
| Schedule 9 | Concurrent powers of federation, province and local level (15 items) |
Article 162 says the executive power of the province rests with the Provincial Council of Ministers, according to the Constitution and laws.
2. Province Head (Pradesh Pramukh)
- Each province has a Province Head who represents the federal government in the province.
- The Province Head is appointed by the President.
- Term: 5 years. The President can end the term earlier.
- The Province Head appoints the Chief Minister and acts on the recommendation of the Provincial Council of Ministers.
- The Province Head’s role is mostly formal, like the President’s role at federal level.
3. Chief Minister and Council of Ministers
Article 168 covers the formation of the Provincial Council of Ministers. The order of appointment is the same as for the Prime Minister:
- First, the leader of the parliamentary party with a majority in the Provincial Assembly.
- If no party has a majority, a member who can get a majority with the support of two or more parties.
- If that fails, the leader of the largest party in the Assembly.
- A Chief Minister appointed without a clear majority must win a vote of confidence within 30 days.
- The Council of Ministers can have at most 20% of the total members of the Provincial Assembly, including the Chief Minister.
4. Provincial Assembly (Pradesh Sabha)
- The Provincial Assembly is unicameral (one house only).
- Article 175: 60% of members are elected by first-past-the-post (FPTP) and 40% by proportional representation (PR).
- The number of FPTP seats in a province is double the number of its House of Representatives FPTP constituencies.
- Term: 5 years, unless dissolved earlier.
- Minimum age to be a member: 25 years.
- The Assembly elects a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker; they must be of different genders and from different parties.
- The Assembly makes laws on Schedule 6 (and, with the federation, Schedule 7) subjects and passes the provincial budget.
5. Seats in the seven Provincial Assemblies
| Province | Capital | Districts | Total seats | FPTP | PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koshi | Biratnagar | 14 | 93 | 56 | 37 |
| Madhesh | Janakpur | 8 | 107 | 64 | 43 |
| Bagmati | Hetauda | 13 | 110 | 66 | 44 |
| Gandaki | Pokhara | 11 | 60 | 36 | 24 |
| Lumbini | Deukhuri (Dang) | 12 | 87 | 52 | 35 |
| Karnali | Birendranagar | 10 | 40 | 24 | 16 |
| Sudurpaschim | Godawari (Kailali) | 9 | 53 | 32 | 21 |
| Total | 77 | 550 | 330 | 220 |
Easy memory trick: Bagmati is the largest (110) and Karnali is the smallest (40). Madhesh has the fewest districts (8) but the second-highest seats (107).
6. Other provincial bodies
- Provincial Public Service Commission: recruits staff for provincial and local government services.
- Chief Attorney (Mukhya Nyayadhiwakta): the legal adviser to the provincial government.
- High Court: each province has a High Court (part of the federal judiciary).
📌 Key points to remember
- Part 13 = Provincial Executive; Part 14 = Provincial Legislature.
- Art 162: executive power rests with the Provincial Council of Ministers.
- Province Head: appointed by the President for 5 years.
- Art 168: Chief Minister; ministers at most 20% of Assembly members; confidence vote within 30 days.
- Art 175: 60% FPTP, 40% PR; total 550 seats (330 + 220).
- Largest Assembly: Bagmati (110); smallest: Karnali (40).
- Schedule 6 = 21 provincial powers.
Test yourself: Provincial Government of Nepal
50 questions on Where the provincial government is in the Constitution, Provincial Assembly (Pradesh Sabha) and Other provincial bodies. Each attempt picks 25 at random.