CJReport

Nepal has abolished its 239-year-old monarchy.

A measure declaring the Himalayan country a republic was approved by an overwhelming majority Wednesday during the first meeting of Nepal's newly elected assembly.

The assembly has given the king 15 days to vacate his palace in central Kathmandu.

There was no immediate reaction from the palace. It has rarely commented on political developments in Nepal since King Gyanendra was forced to end his royal dictatorship and restore democracy after widespread protests two years ago.

The country's former rebels, the Maoists, then ended their 10-year insurgency.

In April the Maoists won the most seats in the assembly, setting the stage for the monarchy's demise.
[From the Canadian Press]

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All the Nepali political parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA) have decided to table a joint proposal Wednesday through the cabinet to implement a federal republic.

According to The Kathmandu Post, the parties, after parleys throughout Tuesday at different levels, endorsed a five-point proposal declaring Nepal an independent, indivisible, secular, inclusive, federal democratic country as of now.

The proposal was prepared by the Nepali Congress (NC), the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) and the Communist Party Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML).

Following days of differences over the issue of future head of state, the CPN-Maoists have ultimately agreed to recognize the president as head of state but the powers and duties of the president have not yet been determined.

The parties have agreed to meet again Wednesday morning to settle the remaining issues.

The parties could not finalize the names of 26 members to be nominated by the cabinet. They have agreed to finalize the list before the Wednesday cabinet meeting.

The parties have decided that the CA meeting should ask the cabinet to prepare necessary constitutional and legal arrangements required for the institution of president.

They have agreed to declare through the meeting that all laws contradicting the declaration of republic will be scrapped.

The parties have decided to ask King Gyanendra to vacate Narayanhity Royal Palace within 15 days and agreed to develop the palace as a historical museum.

"The meeting has decided to let the council of ministers (cabinet) decide the issue of hoisting a national flag at the RoyalPalace following the declaration of republic," said CPN-UML senior leader Amrit Kumar Bohara, who attended Tuesday's all-party meeting.

Though several issues related to the president' s powers are yet to be decided, Bohara said the president, being a constitutional head, will remain head of the national army with the authority to declare a state of emergency.

They did not reach any decision on forming a new government. "We will take up the issue only after implementation of republic," CPN-Maoist leader Babu Ram Bhattarai said.

The moment the CA meeting passes the proposal through a simple majority, the country's 240-year-old institution of the crown will be abolished. With the approval of the proposal, Nepal's Shah dynasty that has reached the 11th generation since Nepal's founding king Prithvi Narayan Shah will lose all control over the people of Nepal.

As the oldest member in the CA, Nepali Congress General Secretary KB Gurung will announce the abolition of monarchy.

"King Gyanendra in consultations hours before facing a sack"
From popular news website Nepalnews.com.

"Only hours before the first Constituent Assembly meeting is expected to declare Nepal a republic, the soon to be deposed King Gyanendra, who has acquired a name tag of the Last Shah King, is reportedly holding consultation with his close aides and supporters from yesterday afternoon inside the Narayanhiti royal palace.

Reports quoting palace sources said that the King, who would soon be stripped off his title and become a common citizen of Nepal answerable to the country’s law, is taking advises from officials of Palace secretariat, former Panchas, ministers during the erstwhile royal regime and those close to the palace on his future moves and options as Nepal turns the page on the 239 years of history of monarchy in the country.

Crown Prince Paras, whose playboy image also said to have contributed much to the fall of monarchy, including some members of the royal family are also actively participating in the intense discussion, it is learnt

After consultations King Gyanendra is expected to issue a message in the name of the countrymen in which he is said will try to defend his past actions, explaining that he had not staged the royal coup of February 1 with any bad intentions.

The former Royal Nepal Army has also dispatched a special commando force for the security of the palace.