Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1959 — Full Multiparty Democracy, Dismissed After 18 Months

What happened

In 1959, Nepal finally got a real democracy with free elections. B.P. Koirala and his party won the election. But just 18 months later, King Mahendra decided he didn't like democracy. He arrested the Prime Minister and many politicians, cancelled the constitution, and ruled Nepal by himself.

Full Verified Record

Promulgated on 12 February 1959, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1959 was Nepal's first genuinely democratic constitution. It established a bicameral parliament (Pratinidhi Sabha lower house, Mahasabha upper house), full adult franchise elections, cabinet government responsible to parliament, and judicial independence. Under it, Nepal held its first-ever general election in February–April 1959. The Nepali Congress won 74 of 109 seats and B.P. Koirala became Prime Minister. The constitution lasted only 18 months: King Mahendra dismissed it on 15 December 1960, dissolved parliament, arrested PM Koirala and other leaders, and banned political parties — imposing the Panchayat system.

१२ फेब्रुअरी १९५९ मा जारी गरिएको यो संविधानले नेपालमा पहिलोपटक पूर्ण लोकतान्त्रिक व्यवस्था स्थापित गर्यो। यसअन्तर्गत नेपालमा पहिलो आम निर्वाचन भयो र बी.पी. कोइरालाले प्रधानमन्त्री बने। तर १८ महिनापछि राजा महेन्द्रले यसलाई खारेज गरे।

Why it mattered

The 1959 constitution demonstrated that Nepal could hold free elections and was ready for democracy. Its dismissal by King Mahendra set a pattern of democratic reversals that Nepal would repeat for 30 years. B.P. Koirala became a symbol of democratic resistance; his imprisonment radicalised a generation of Nepali Congress activists.