Local governments in Nepal are constitutionally defined institutions, but their functioning is often conflated with the broader idea of local governance. While governance includes a wider ecosystem of community groups, civil society, and informal institutions, Khemraj Nepal focuses here specifically on formal local government structures and their historical evolution.
Drawing on examples from early decentralized systems under the Kirat, Licchavi, and Malla periods to present-day federal arrangements, he traces both continuity and disruption in Nepal’s local administration. He argues that despite repeated reforms and legal restructuring, persistent gaps in capacity, uneven devolution, and weak integration with traditional local practices continue to shape how local governments function across diverse geographies and communities.
The text is an abridged and translated version of the October 2024 edition of Sambaad @ Samriddhi. Sambaad @ Samriddhi is a monthly discussion on contemporary issues held on the last Friday of each month. In this edition, Khemraj Nepal provides a brief account of the history of local governments in Nepal and a succinct analysis of the challenges that local governments face today. The discussion was moderated by Arpita Nepal.
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