In Nepal, 95% of Law Commission drafts did not become laws — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal, the Law Commission, established to draft and review legislation, remains sidelined from key lawmaking processes. Since the 2015 Constitution came into force, it has drafted and submitted 43 bills to the government, but about 95% of them have never become laws, Kathmandu Post reports.
The government's legislative programme for 2026–2027 includes 166 bills: 97 new ones and 69 amendments to existing laws. Only two of them are directly linked to the Law Commission's recommendations — bills concerning the commission itself and artificial intelligence.
Over the past fiscal year, the body drafted five bills. They concerned the National Youth Council, compensation for victims of wrongful investigations and prosecutions, the Nepal Scouts organisation, the rights and development of Dalit communities, and amendments to the law regulating the commission's work.
Drafts have not advanced for years
Among the documents that received no further progress is a 2019 bill on the establishment, registration and operation of public organisations. It was intended to simplify the creation of such organisations by citizens and establish clearer legal foundations for non-governmental organisations. According to the publication, disagreements between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens halted the document's progress.
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Another draft, submitted in April 2020, concerned updating legislation on the acquisition of land for public purposes. It provided for standards on compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation. The document did not advance because of disputes between the Ministry of Land Management, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Planning Commission. A draft aimed at accelerating the construction of infrastructure facilities of national priority was also not implemented.
Dispute over the commission's leadership
Nepal's Law Commission has had no chairperson or vice-chairperson since its last head, Jaggeshwar Subedi, left office on 30 July 2025. At the same time, the government proposed amending the 2007 Nepal Law Commission Act so that its chairmanship would pass to the law minister.
Law Minister Sobita Gautam stated that the reform should turn the commission into a professional centre for drafting bills within the state apparatus. Under the proposed model, the commission would prepare the initial text of a document, the relevant ministry would be responsible for policy, and the bill would go to parliament after approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Former commission chair Madhav Poudel opposed this approach, stressing the need for independent expert leadership. The commission's secretary, Indira Dahal, also reported staff shortages and budget cuts. The commission is currently working, among other things, on a draft law on egg donation, studying the pay and benefits of public officials, and preparing recommendations on repealing, reviewing or amending outdated provisions.
