Prime Minister Balendra "Balen" Shah addressed the nation on Constitution Day (September 19), pledging full commitment to Nepal's constitution "in letter and spirit."
Key highlights from the speech:
Core pledge:The constitution written with the blood of martyrs will be fulfilled through our work.
What fulfillment means: Honest decisions, transparent appointments, and public services that actually reach citizens' doorsteps.
Democratic foundations: Competitive multi-party democracy, human rights, and rule of law remain the base of national life.
Unfinished business: Ending discrimination and building an equitable society require continuous effort, not one-time declarations.
Governance steps already taken: Shrinking the size of the administrative machinery, enforcing zero tolerance on corruption, and keeping the bureaucracy politically neutral.
National unity: Fostering unity amid diversity and delivering social justice nationwide as ongoing priorities.
Public mandate: Said citizens have demanded good governance, development, prosperity and social justice and every step of the government will be directed towards achieving these goals.
Disaster Preparedness: Following devastating seasonal floods, like the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood, he emphasized moving from reactionary response to proactive risk reduction. He committed to prioritizing a nationwide disaster early warning system.
The same day, President Ram Chandra Poudel addressed a separate Constitution Day ceremony at Shital Niwas, stressing a political culture that respects dissent, learns from criticism, and makes the state accountable to citizens.
