# Provincial governments of Nepal

The provinces of Nepal are governed by provincial governments which form the second level of governance in the country; after the federal government. The provincial governments are established, and their structure is defined by Part 13 of the Constitution of Nepal.

## Legislature

Each province has a unicameral provincial legislature, varying in size according to the population of the province. The members are elected through first-past-the-post voting and party-list proportional representation for a term of five years, unless dissolved sooner. The first provincial election was held in 2017.
The provincial assemblies are presided over by the Speaker who is elected from amongst the members of the assembly and is not a part of the debates. The speaker is helped by a Deputy Speaker who is also elected from amongst the members. At least one of the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker must be a woman and they must not belong to the same party unless only one party is represented in the assembly. Nanda Gurung is the first and only woman to be elected as the speaker of a provincial assembly. She is currently serving as the Speaker of Karnali Provincial Assembly having been elected in 2023.
The governors of the provinces have the power to summon and prorogue the sessions of the assembly pursuant to the Constitution. The interval between two consecutive sessions of the assemblies cannot exceed six months. If one-fourth of the total members of an assembly make a petition during a prorogation or recess of the assembly, the governor must call a session or a meeting.
| Assembly | Meeting place | Seats | Speaker | Deputy Speaker | Term |
| Koshi Province | Biratnagar, Morang | 93 | Ambar Bahadur Bista | Sirjana Danuwar | 2nd Assembly |
| Madhesh Province | Janakpur, Dhanusha | 107 | Ram Chandra Mandal | Babita Devi Raut Ishar | 2nd Assembly |
| Bagmati Province | Hetauda, Makwanpur | 110 | Bhuwan Kumar Pathak | Apsara Chapagai | 2nd Assembly |
| Gandaki Province | Pokhara, Kaski | 60 | Krishna Prasad Dhital | Bina Kumari Thapa | 2nd Assembly |
| Lumbini Province | Bhalubang, Dang | 87 | Tularam Gharti Magar | Menuka Khand K.C. | 2nd Assembly |
| Karnali Province | Birendranagar, Surkhet | 40 | Nanda Gurung | Yashoda Neupane | 2nd Assembly |
| Sudurpashchim Province | Godawari, Kailali | 53 | Bhim Bahadur Bhandari | Koili Devi Chaudhary | 2nd Assembly |

## Executive

The executive power of a province is vested in the provincial cabinet. If a cabinet does not exist, the executive power is exercised by the governor of the province.
The head of the provincial cabinet is the chief minister. The governor appoints the leader of the parliamentary party that commands a majority, either alone or with the support of one or more parties, in the provincial assembly as the chief minister. The governor appoints members to the provincial cabinet on the recommendation of the chief minister. The members of the provincial cabinet are responsible for the various departments of the provincial administration. A provincial cabinet can only consist of a maximum of 20% of the total number of members of the provincial assembly. A non-member of a provincial assembly can be appointed as a minister in the cabinet, but must obtain membership of the assembly within six months of their appointment.
The assembly can force the resignation of the chief minister with a vote of no confidence.
| Province | Chief Minister | Party | Took office | Cabinet |
| Koshi | Hikmat Kumar Karki | CPN (UML) | 9 May 2024 | H. K. Karki III |
| Madhesh | Satish Kumar Singh | Janamat | 7 June 2024 | Singh |
| Bagmati | Bahadur Singh Lama | Congress | 24 July 2024 | Lama |
| Gandaki | Surendra Raj Pandey | Congress | 20 May 2024 | Pandey II |
| Lumbini | Chet Narayan Acharya | CPN (UML) | 24 July 2024 | Acharya |
| Karnali | Yam Lal Kandel | CPN (UML) | 10 April 2024 | Kandel |
| Sudurpashchim | Kamal Bahadur Shah | Nepali Congress | 5 August 2024 | Shah II |

### Cabinet of Koshi

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Assumed office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister All other ministries not allocated to anyone. | Hikmat Kumar Karki | CPN (UML) | Jhapa 5(A) | 9 May 2024 |
| 2 | Minister of Economic Affairs and Planning | Ram Bahadur Ranamagar | CPN (UML) | Ilam 2(B) | 9 May 2024 |
| 3 | Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development | | | | |
| 4 | Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Lila Ballabh Adhikari | CPN (UML) | Morang 2(B) | 17 May 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Social Development | Panch Karna Rai | CPN (UML) | Khotang 1(A) | 17 May 2024 |
| 6 | Minister for Water Supply, Irrigation and Energy | Ekraj Karki | CPN (UML) | Jhapa 2(A) | 17 May 2024 |
| 7 | Minister for Tourism, Forest, and Environment | | | | |
| 8 | Minister for Health | | | | |
| State ministers |||||||
| 9 | Minister of State in the OCMCM | Sirjana Rai | CPN (UML) | Party list | 17 May 2024 |
| 10 | Minister of State for Tourism, Forest, and Environment | | | | |

### Cabinet of Madhesh Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Satish Kumar Singh | Janamat | Saptari 2 (B) | 7 June 2023 |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Saroj Kumar Yadav | CPN (UML) | Mahottari 4 (A) | 7 June 2023 |
| 3 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Janardan Singh Chhetri | Nepali Congress | Parsa 3 (B) | 18 July 2024 |
| 4 | Minister for Education and Culture | Rani Kumari Tiwari | Loktantrik Samajwadi | Mahottari 3 (B) | 18 July 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Home, Communications and Law | Raj Kumar Lekhi | CPN (UML) | Saptari 1 (A) | 7 June 2023 |
| 6 | Minister for Health and Population | Satrudhan Prasad Singh | CPN (UML) | Siraha 2 (B) | 7 June 2023 |
| 7 | Minister for Finance | Sunil Kumar Yadav | Nepali Congress | Rautahat 3 (B) | 18 July 2024 |
| 8 | Minister for Sports and Social Welfare | Pramod Kumar Jaiswal | CPN (UML) | Parsa 3 (A) | 7 June 2023 |
| 9 | Minister for Forests and Environment | Tribhuwan Sah | Janamat | Siraha 4 (A) | 7 June 2023 |
| 10 | Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply | Shesh Narayan Yadav | Nepali Congress | Dhanusha 4 (A) | 18 July 2024 |
| 11 | Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism | Sakil Ali Miya | Janamat Party | Saptari 1 (B) | 18 July 2024 |
| 12 | Minister for Labor and Transport | Kaushal Kishor Ray | Nepali Congress | Sarlahi 2 (B) | 18 July 2024 |

### Cabinet of Bagmati Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Bahadur Singh Lama | Nepali Congress | Nuwakot 2 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 9 | Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development | Prakash Shrestha | CPN (UML) | Kathmandu 7 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 2 | Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning | Kundan Raj Kafle | Nepali Congress | Dolakha 1 (A) | 25 July 2024 |
| 8 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Aman Kumar Maskey | CPN (UML) | Kathmandu 6 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 3 | Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Suraj Chandra Lamichhane | Nepali Congress | Kathmandu 1 (B) | 25 July 2024 |
| 13 | Minister for Forest and Environment | Krishna Prasad Silwal | CPN (UML) | Chitwan 2 (A) | 24 July 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Drinking Water, Energy and Irrigation | Shyam Bahadur Khadka | Nepali Congress | Kathmandu 5 (B) | 25 July 2024 |
| 12 | Minister for Health | Kiran Thapa Magar | CPN (UML) | Bhaktapur 2 (A) | 24 July 2024 |
| 4 | Minister for Social Development | Hariprabha Khadgi | Nepali Congress | Kathmandu 6 (A) | 25 July 2024 |
| 10 | Minister for Labour, Employment and Transportation | Prem Bhakta Maharjan | CPN (UML) | Lalitpur 3 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 14 | Minister without portfolio | Madhu Kumar Shrestha | Nepali Congress | Dhading 1 (A) | 25 July 2024 |
| 6 | Minister for Youth and Sports | Min Krishna Maharjan | Nepali Congress | Lalitpur 1 (B) | 25 July 2024 |
| 11 | Minister for Industry, Commerce, Land and Administration | Suku Maya Tamang | CPN (UML) | Party list | 24 July 2024 |
| 7 | Minister for Culture, Tourism and Co-operatives | Bimal Thakuri | Nepali Congress | Kathmandu 3 (B) | 25 July 2024 |

### Cabinet of Gandaki Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister All ministries and berth remaining unalloted | Surendra Raj Pandey | Congress | Gorkha 2 (B) | 29 May 2024 |
| 2 | Minister for Social Development and Health | Bindu Kumar Thapa | Congress | Kaski 2 (B) | 29 May 2024 |
| 3 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport | Deepak Manange | Independent | Manang 1 (B) | 29 May 2024 |
| 4 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Dr Tek Raj Gurung | Congress | Lamjung 1 (A) | 29 May 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Water Supply | Fanindra Devkota | Nepal Socialist Party | Gorkha 2 (A) | 29 May 2024 |

### Cabinet of Lumbini Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Chet Narayan Acharya | CPN (UML) | Arghakhanchi 1 (A) | 24 July 2024 |
| 2 | Minister for Forests and Environment | Badshah Kurmi | Congress | Banke 3 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 3 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Bhumiswar Dhakal | CPN (UML) | Rupandehi 5 (A) | 24 July 2024 |
| 4 | Minister for Agriculture and Land Management | Dinesh Panthi | CPN (UML) | Gulmi 2 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Dhanendra Karki | Congress | Gulmi 1 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 6 | Minister for Urban Development and Water Supply | Saroj Thapa | Congress | Pyuthan 1 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 7 | Minister for Industry, Tourism and Transport Management | Prachanda Bikram Neupane | Congress | Dang 2 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 8 | Minister for Health | Khem Bahadur Saru | CPN (UML) | Palpa 1 (B) | 24 July 2024 |
| 9 | Ministry for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation | Sita Sharma | CPN (UML) | Party list | 24 July 2024 |
| 10 | Minister for Interior Affairs and Law | | | | |
| 11 | Minister for Social Development | Janma Jaya Timilsina | | | |
| 12 | Ministry for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens | | | | |

### Cabinet of Karnali Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister Minister for Internal Affairs and Law | Yam Lal Kandel | CPN (UML) | Surkhet 2 (A) | 9 April 2024 |
| 2 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Rajeev Bikram Shah | Nepali Congress | Jajarkot 1 (B) | 4 August 2024 |
| 3 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Binod Kumar Shah | CPN (UML) | Dailekh 2 (B) | 30 April 2024 |
| 4 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development | Sher Bahadur Budha | CPN (UML) | Dolpa 1 (A) | 30 April 2024 |
| 5 | Minister for Social Development | Ghanashyam Bhandari | Nepali Congress | Dailekh 2 (A) | 4 August 2024 |
| 6 | Minister for Water Resource and Energy Development | Bijaya Budha | Nepali Congress | Party list | 4 August 2024 |
| 7 | Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment | Suresh Adhikari | Nepali Congress | Salyan 1 (B) | 4 August 2024 |
| State ministers |||||||
| 1 | Minister of State for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development | Gamata Bishwakarma | CPN (UML) | Party list | 30 April 2024 |

### Cabinet of Sudurpashchim Province

| S.N. | Portfolio | Minister responsible | Political Party | Constituency | Took office |
| Cabinet ministers |||||||
| 1 | Chief Minister | Kamal Bahadur Shah | Congress | Kailali 2 (A) | 5 August 2024 |
| 2 | Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development | Surendra Bahadur Pal | CPN (UML) | Baitadi 1 (A) | 5 August 2024 |
| 3 | Minister for Economic Affairs | Bahadur Singh Thapa | Nepali Congress | Kanchanpur 2 (B) | 5 August 2024 |
| 4 | Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment | Laxman Kishor Chaudhary | Nagrik Unmukti | Kailali 1 (B) | 5 August 2024 |
| 5 | Minister of Social Development | Meghraj Khadka | Nepali Congress | Achham 1 (A) | 5 August 2024 |
| 6 | Minister for Interior Affairs and Law | Hira Sarki | CPN (UML) | Party list | 5 August 2024 |
| 7 | Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives | Bir Bahadur Thapa | CPN (UML) | Kanchanpur 1 (A) | 5 August 2024 |
| State ministers |||||||
| 1 | Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Planning | Prakash Bahadur Bam | Nepali Congress | Kailali 4 (B) | 5 August 2024 |
| 2 | Minister of State for Social Development | Saraswati Khadka | Nepali Congress | Party list | 5 August 2024 |
| 3 | Minister of State in the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development | Nirmala Saud | CPN (UML) | Party list | 5 August 2024 |

## Judiciary

The former appellate courts were changed into High Courts after the adoption of the new constitution.
High Courts of Nepal :
| S.N. | High Court | Jurisdiction | Primary seat | Chief Judge | Website |
| 1 | Biratnagar High Court (Koshi) | Morang District, Sunsari District, and Udaypur District | Biratnagar | Shri Ramesh Prasad Rajbhandari | Biratnagar High Court |
| 2 | Janakpur High Court (Madhesh) | Dhanusha District, Mahottari District, and Sarlahi District | Janakpur | Binod Sharma (Acting) | Janakpur High Court |
| 3 | Patan High Court (Bagmati) | Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District, Bhaktapur District, Rasuwa District, Nuwakot District, Kavrepalanchowk District, Sindhupalchowk District, Dolakha District, Ramechhap District, Sindhuli District, and Dhading District | Lalitpur | Nripa Dhoj Niraula | Patan High Court |
| 4 | Pokhara High Court (Gandaki) | Kaski District, Lamjung District, Tanahu District, Manang District, Gorkha District, Syangja District, and Nawalpur District | Pokhara | Ramesh Pokharel | Pokhara High Court |
| 5 | Tulsipur High Court (Lumbini) | Dang District, Pyuthan District, Rolpa District and Eastern Rukum District | Tulsipur | Nita Gautam Dixit | Tulsipur High Court |
| 6 | Surkhet High Court (Karnali) | Surkhet District, Salyan District, West Rukum District, Dailekh District and Jajarkot District | Birendranagar | Sheshraj Shiwakoti (Acting) | Surkhet High Court |
| 7 | Dipayal High Court (Sudurpashchim) | Bajura District, Bajhang District, Achham District, Doti District, and Kailali District | Dipayal | Tej Bahadur Karki (Acting) | Dipayal High Court |
Additional Benches and Extended Benches of Nepal
| S.N. | High Court | Additional and Extended Benches | Jurisdiction | Primary seat | Senior-most Judge |
| 1 | Biratnagar High Court | Ilam Bench | Jhapa District, Ilam District, Panchthar District, and Taplejung District | Illam | Premraj Karki |
| 2 | Biratnagar High Court | Dhankuta Bench | Dhankuta District, Terathum District, Sankhuwasabha District, and Bhojpur District | Dhankuta | Pusparaj Koirala |
| 3 | Biratnagar High Court | Okhaldhunga Bench | Okhaldhunga District, Khotang District, and Solukhumbhu District | Okhaldhunga | Thakur Prasad Sharma Poudel |
| 4 | Janakpur High Court | Rajbiraj Bench | Saptari District and Siraha District | Rajbiraj | Diliraj Acharya |
| 5 | Janakpur High Court | Birgunj Bench | Parsa District, Bara District and Rautahat District | Birgunj | Sharanga Subedi |
| 6 | Patan High Court | Hetauda Bench | Chitwan District and Makwanpur District | Hetauda | Mohammad Shabir Hussain |
| 7 | Pokhara High Court | Baglung Bench | Baglung District, Parbat District, Myagdi District and Mustang District | Baglung | Dwarikaman Joshi |
| 8 | Tulsipur High Court | Butwal Bench | Rupandehi District, Nawalparasi District, Kapilvastu District, Gulmi District, Palpa District, and Arghakhanchi District | Butwal | Shivaraj Adhikari |
| 9 | Tulsipur High Court | Nepalgunj Bench | Banke District and Bardiya District | Nepalgunj | Dr. Ratna Bahadur Bagchand |
| 10 | Surkhet High Court | Jumla Bench | Jumla District, Kalikot District, Humla District, Mugu District, and Dolpa District | Jumla | Gunaraj Dhungel |
| 11 | Dipayal High Court | Mahendranagar Bench | Kanchanpur District, Darchula District, Baitadi District and Dadeldhura District | Bhimdatta | Prabha Basnet |