Local laws ease governance

Local level governments that are constitutionally endowed with legislative authority have formulated and implemented laws within their jurisdiction.

With the formulation of some spectacular laws in the first term of local governments following the proclamation of the Constitution in 2015, it has eased the newly-elected people's representatives to run and manage local governance affairs.

It is often claimed the local levels had framed most-essential laws, work procedures, directives, regulations and standards amidst inadequate availability of experts. Most of the legal documents among them had been published in the national gazette and thereby come into implementation.

As per the constitutional mandate, the local levels comprising municipalities are obliged to enact 28 laws. According to the Local Government Operation Act, 2074 BS, the draft of the bill once endorsed by the village/municipal assembly receives a legal form.

Birendranagar municipality – where lies the province headquarters informed that it had prepared 81 legal documents. Mayor Mohanmaya Dhakal shared that 27 Acts and 54 rules (regulation, guidelines, work procedures and standards) were made in the span of the last five years.

"The formulation of thematic laws has eased the performance now", she said, adding, "The municipality has adopted an approach of a wider consultation with stakeholders, including thematic committees while framing regulations, work procedure, directives and standards".

The thematic committees help the law-making process at the local level by holding consultations on the themes of their jurisdiction. Birendranagar has so far formulated Public Procurement Regulation, Mediation Work Procedure, Local Service Act, Judicial Committee Act, Environment and Waste Management Act, Municipal Hospital Operation and Management Work Procedure and Hydropower and Source Registration Work Procedure.

In addition, the municipality has brought into implementation the Bus Park Operation Work Procedure, Vehicle Operation Work Procedure, Cooperative Regulations and River-based Materials Extraction Work Procedure.

Similarly, Gurvakot municipality has also enacted over 50 laws. Mayor Hasta Pun shared they had come across several challenges in the preparation of legal foundation in the first round. "it was difficult for the novice people's representatives to frame, enact and implement laws", he added.

Likewise, Chaukune rural municipality shared that it had also produced 40 laws, including acts, regulations, work procedures and directives.

Chairperson Khaka BK shared the rural municipality had promulgated all required laws, including Cooperative Act, Users' Committee Formation Work Procedure and Infrastructure Management Act. "Making of remaining laws is also on priority", he added.

Likewise, Simta, Barahataal and Chingad rural municipalities of Surkhet have also shared that they had promulgated over 40 laws each.

Nevertheless, people's representatives have complained that delay and digression in the making of some essential laws by the federal and provincial governments have a direct bearing at local levels, particularly in law-making.