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Prime Minister Balendra Shah is holding a discussion with the vice-chancellors of different universities and academies. 

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 12 noon at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. 

The Prime Minister's Secretariat stated that vice chancellors of 11 universities and seven academies are invited for the meeting.  

The issues of the universities and academies, and the measures to address those challenges would be discussed at the meeting. 

According to the PM's Secretariat, vice chancellors of Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, Purbanchal University, Pokhara University, Lumbini Buddhist University, Nepal Sanskrit University, Far Western University and Mid-West University would attend the meeting.

Likewise, vice chancellors of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rajarshi Janak University, Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Science, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), Patan Academy of Health Sciences and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences will also join the meeting. 

Furthermore, the other invitees include vice chancellors of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences and Rapti Academy of Health Sciences.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has expressed his respect, gratitude and appreciation to all mothers on the occasion of today's Matatirtha Aunsi.

On this occasion, PM Shah has stated that the mother and motherland are above heaven, and has stated the mother as a symbol of the nation, while wishing for Nepal's bright future. 

Taking to his social sites, the PM has described the mother's lap as warm and her feet as pious like a pilgrimage site and stated that mothers as an unmatched example of love and sacrifice.    

In his message, PM Shah has wished all mothers for their long life and has praised mothers as the first teacher in life.  

PM Shah has emphasized that children of all mothers should create an environment to make their mothers feel proud through their deeds and should bring smiles to mothers' faces. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to hold discussions with Chief Ministers of all seven provinces today.

According to Prime Minister Shah's Secretariat, PM Shah is holding consultations with the Chief Ministers for the first time after assuming office where significant and extensive discussions would be held on the issues related to federal and provincial governments.

The meeting is scheduled at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singha Durbar, at 2 pm.  

The meeting is considered as an important initiative making the federal-province coordination more effective. 

Various issues including accelerating development construction activities, ensuring proper allocation of means and resources and resolving various administrative and financial problems faced by provinces would be discussed in the meeting, added the Secretariat. 

Similarly, the issue of further strengthening the collaboration between the federation and province in order to effectively implement the projects of national priority would be the main agenda of the discussion. 

It is expected that efforts would be made to build shared partnership on the issue of the country's present economic condition, infrastructure development, improvement in service delivery and maintain good governance in today's meeting.

This meeting has been taken as the important step for making federalism implementation further effective and directly benefiting the people.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to interact with all House of Representatives (HoR) members elected under the proportional representation (PR) system. 

According to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the interaction program is beginning at 12 noon today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singha Durbar.

During the interaction program, the HoR Members would share their concerned clusters' issues, challenges and solution measures.  

The PM's Secretariat stated that the interaction program is aimed at holding direct consultations between the people's representatives and the executive to ensure effective policymaking and implementation. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has expressed his best wishes on the occasion of the New Year 2083 BS, urging everyone to fulfill their responsibilities in nation building with full dedication.

PM Shah extended his best wishes on the occasion of the beginning of the New Year, wishing happiness, peace, and prosperity to all Nepalis living at home and abroad.

"The New Year has brought positive energy into all our lives and a renewed commitment towards the nation. Let us all come together to maintain mutual harmony and fulfill our respective responsibilities in nation building with complete dedication," Prime Minister Shah stated on the social media platform Facebook.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has assigned the portfolio of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security to Prime Minister Balendra Shah. 

According to the Office of the President, some changes were made to the cabinet formed on March 27 at the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Shah relieved Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Dipak Kumar Sah of his post at the recommendation of President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane. 

With this, the cabinet now has 14 members.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has mentioned that the government was willing to further strengthen relations with friendly countries.

During a meeting today with heads of different diplomatic missions in Nepal and ambassadors at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Shah said that the government has given high importance to the relations with all countries and is committed to boost partnership based on mutual benefits and trust. 

"Nepal has been adopting a balanced and practical foreign policy. Our foreign relations are aligned with the objectives of prosperity," he said. The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude towards all partners and friends for their continuous support and goodwill for Nepal's development endeavours and prosperity.

He emphasized that peace is a shared priority as ongoing conflicts in the world affect general people the most, expecting collective efforts on the shared priority. 

Prime Minister Shah underlined that the government was committed to building an environment conducive for investment, to encouraging entrepreneurship and to supporting sustainable development. "A new government does not mean a break from continuity. We are firmly committed to maintaining political stability, keeping policy directives stable and predictable," the PM underscored.

He stressed that the government was willing to collaborate in different areas including development, trade, investment and climate adaptation activities as well as people-to-people relations, adding security and welfare of the Nepalis abroad are also a priority of the government.

Ambassadors/Heads of Diplomatic Mission resident in Kathmandu paid a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Balendra Shah at his Office in Singha Durbar today.

Ambassadors/Heads of Mission of India, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, Qatar, Switzerland, France, Israel, Japan, Bangladesh, Germany, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, China, United States of America and United Nations were present for the joint call on. 

The Ambassadors/Heads of Missions congratulated the Prime Minister and conveyed greetings and messages from their respective heads of state/government.

They also expressed support and cooperation to the new Government in delivering results for the benefit of Nepali people. 

Reiterating Nepal’s balanced and pragmatic foreign policy, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of deepening relations with immediate neighbours, friendly countries and development partners based on trust, mutual respect and shared prosperity. 

He expressed appreciation for the continued goodwill and support extended to Nepal’s development efforts.

Saying that peace must remain our shared priority, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance the Government attaches to the safety, security and wellbeing of Nepali workers and the larger Nepali diaspora abroad.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the Government’s determination to ensure good governance, achieve economic development and improve the livelihood of Nepali people. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Shisir Khanal, Political Advisor to the Prime Minister Asim Shah, Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and other Government officials were present on the occasion.

Ambassadors from various countries in Nepal are meeting Prime Minister Balendra Shah collectively today. 

The meeting is scheduled at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

In the meeting to be attended by Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal as well, PM Shah is scheduled to address briefly, according to Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, political advisor to PM Shah, Ashim Shah, wrote in a social networking site, X, "PM Shah is holding a collective meeting with foreign ambassadors to Nepal today. The collective dialogue to be attended by Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal as well will set a new standard in diplomatic protocol."

He further wished for dignified diplomacy, strengthened Nepal. 

The ranking of ministers in the Balendra Shah-led Cabinet has been reshuffled 

President Ram Chandra Paudel revised the order of the Council of Ministers formed on March 27 on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shah, said Ritesh Kumar Shakya, spokesperson at the President's Office.

Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, who was previously ranked third, has now dropped to fifth place.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has climbed from sixth to fourth place.

Previous standings 

The decision by the Balendra Shah-led government to form a task force to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendment signals renewed political intent. Yet, despite years of rhetoric and electoral promises, translating that intent into action remains deeply challenging.

At the heart of the difficulty lies the arithmetic of power. Although the ruling bloc—particularly Rastriya Swantra Party—appears to command close to a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, this strength does not extend to the National Assembly. Since constitutional amendments in Nepal require approval from both houses, the absence of sufficient numbers in the upper chamber poses a structural hurdle. Even with potential support from smaller parties, securing the required majority in both houses remains uncertain.

Beyond numbers, the lack of political consensus presents an even more formidable barrier. While almost all major parties—including Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, and RSP—have expressed commitment to amending the constitution, they diverge sharply on what those amendments should entail. 

The most contentious issue is the form of governance. The debate over executive power has resurfaced strongly. RSP and Maoist forces are advocating for a directly elected president, arguing that it could ensure stronger and more stable leadership. However, the Nepali Congress has consistently opposed this model, favoring the existing parliamentary system. This disagreement is not new—it dates back to the original constitution-drafting process of 2008 to 2015, when parties ultimately rejected a directly elected presidential system, citing risks for a politically fragile country like Nepal.

Such foundational disagreements make consensus-building extremely difficult. Constitutional amendments are not merely technical adjustments; they involve redefining the structure of the state. Without alignment on core principles like governance models, progress is likely to stall.

Adding to the complexity is the absence of a clear roadmap. The government has formed a task force to draft a discussion paper, but has not yet established a formal constitutional review mechanism. This raises questions about whether the process has sufficient institutional grounding to move forward effectively.

Political ambiguity further complicates the process. Many parties, including NC and UML, have acknowledged the need for amendments but have refrained from specifying concrete proposals. Even parties with clearer positions, such as RSP—which has advocated for a directly elected executive and a fully proportional electoral system—may face pressure to moderate their stance in the post-election political environment.

Electoral reform is another sensitive issue. While concerns have been raised about the current system’s inability to produce stable single-party governments, recent electoral outcomes have somewhat weakened that argument. This reduces urgency and consensus around reforming the electoral framework.

Finally, broader ideological issues—such as secularism—could emerge as flashpoints during the amendment process, further complicating negotiations.

In sum, constitutional amendment in Nepal is not just a legislative exercise but a deeply political process requiring broad consensus, institutional clarity, and numerical strength across both houses of Parliament. The current scenario reveals gaps on all three fronts. As a result, despite renewed momentum, the path toward amendment remains uncertain and fraught with challenges.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s early days in office have signaled a striking departure from traditional governance. From his restrained public presence to his assertive administrative reforms, Shah’s approach suggests an attempt to redefine how executive power is exercised. 

One of the most visible shifts has been his communication style—or the lack thereof. Unlike previous prime ministers, who typically engaged with the media immediately after assuming office, Shah has remained notably silent. He has neither addressed the press nor issued public statements, signaling a preference for action over rhetoric.

Even celebratory political norms were curtailed; his party instructed lawmakers not to organize victory rallies, and Shah himself kept his sole appearance brief and speechless.

Diplomatic conventions have also been disrupted. Traditionally, ambassadors from major nations meet a newly appointed prime minister within a day of the oath-taking ceremony. Shah, however, has limited such engagements, meeting diplomats only during the official ceremony. By avoiding customary congratulatory exchanges, he has maintained an unusually quiet Prime Minister’s Office.

At the same time, Shah has embraced symbolic gestures rooted in tradition. He followed Hindu rituals during his oath-taking and conducted a special pujabefore entering the official residence in Baluwatar. 

Structurally, Shah moved quickly to streamline the government. He reduced the number of ministries from 24 to 15, emphasizing efficiency. He also directed government secretaries to either accelerate their work or step down, demonstrating a results-oriented approach. 

Policy-wise, Shah’s administration has taken bold steps. The government issued a public apology to Dalits and historically marginalized communities—an acknowledgment of centuries of systemic oppression. This commitment is part of a broader 100-point governance reform agenda approved by the cabinet.

On the day of his swearing-in, the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli by the Ministry of Home Affairs sent shockwaves through the political landscape, underscoring Shah’s willingness to maintain accountability. 

 Further reinforcing this stance, the cabinet decided to form a high-level commission to investigate the assets of public officials dating back to 1990.

Perhaps the most significant break from the past lies in cabinet formation. Shah has prioritized merit and professional expertise over political compromise, resisting pressure from party insiders. Senior leaders expected to secure ministerial positions were sidelined as Shah asserted his authority to choose his team independently. This has allowed him to maintain tighter control over his cabinet and demand greater accountability.

In a positive sign for legislative stability, he has begun reaching out to other parties in Parliament. He has consulted with lawmakers across the political spectrum to gather their views on the budget and the government’s priorities.

Furthermore, as the Rastriya Swatantra Party pledged to amend the constitution in its election manifesto, the government has formed a committee led by Ashim Shah, the PM’s chief political advisor, to prepare a foundational document for constitutional amendment.

 Balen Shah’s premiership is marked by a blend of administrative assertiveness, cultural symbolism, and political independence. While his opaque style and limited communication may invite criticism, his decisive actions and reform-oriented agenda set him apart from his predecessors. Whether this unconventional approach will yield long-term stability remains to be seen, but it has already redefined leadership expectations in Nepal.

The swearing-in of Balendra Shah as Prime Minister marks a dramatic shift in Nepal’s political landscape, followed swiftly by bold actions from his administration. Within a day of assuming office, his government ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, holding them accountable for the deaths of 19 youths during the September 8–9 protests, based on findings from an investigative panel.

These arrests triggered widespread backlash. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) launched nationwide protests, while the Nepali Congress also raised objections, citing concerns over the lack of due process. Legal experts have similarly argued that proper legal procedures were not followed in the arrests of Oli and Lekhak.

At the same time, the government intensified its anti-corruption drive by initiating money laundering investigations against top political figures. This included the arrest of Dipak Khadka after a large amount of allegedly illegal cash was discovered at his residence during the Gen Z protests. According to local media reports, the Balen administration has also begun investigating the assets of former prime ministers, including Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Alongside these crackdowns, the Shah-led cabinet unveiled an ambitious “100 tasks in 100 days” reform agenda aimed at restructuring the bureaucracy and depoliticizing state institutions. The government has also pledged to establish a new commission to fully investigate the September 9 protests, addressing gaps left by earlier inquiries, and announced plans to form a powerful body to scrutinize the assets of public officials dating back to 1990. Other initiatives are focused on improving public service delivery.

Meanwhile, a rift has escalated within the Nepali Congress. A special general convention held in January reportedly removed Sher Bahadur Deuba from party leadership and elected Gagan Kumar Thapa as the new party head. In response, the Deuba faction filed a case challenging the legitimacy of the convention. Both factions have since been conducting parallel political activities, deepening the party’s internal crisis.

Major countries including India, China, and the United States have congratulated Prime Minister Balendra Shah on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm congratulations, stating: “Your appointment reflects the trust reposed in your leadership by the people of Nepal. I look forward to working closely with you to take India–Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.”

Similarly, the United States extended its congratulations to Prime Minister Shah and his new government. In a statement, the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that the United States looks forward to working with Nepal to advance mutual prosperity and regional stability.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also sent a congratulatory message, noting that China and Nepal are traditional neighboring countries connected by mountains and rivers. He expressed that the Chinese government supports Nepal’s governance and reaffirmed China’s continued support in safeguarding Nepal’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Premier Li further stated his willingness to work with Prime Minister Shah to advance high-level China–Nepal cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, deepen collaboration across various sectors, and promote the China–Nepal strategic partnership characterized by long-term friendship aimed at development and prosperity.

A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry also extended congratulations to Prime Minister Shah and expressed readiness to work with Nepal’s new government to strengthen traditional friendship and practical cooperation.

Similarly, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi extended her congratulations to Prime Minister Shah. In her letter, she expressed her intention to work together to enhance bilateral relations between Japan and Nepal.

British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn also congratulated Prime Minister Shah. He stated that as the new government sets its priorities, the United Kingdom looks forward to collaborating with Nepal on economic growth, youth employment, climate resilience, and other shared interests.

The European Union also extended its congratulations. EU spokesperson Anaouar El Anouni stated that the EU looks forward to further developing its longstanding relations with Nepal and supporting the government in implementing its development priorities.

Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Danielle Meuwly, in her message, said: “We look forward to deepening cooperation between Switzerland and Nepal, and to further strengthening the longstanding friendship, goodwill, and mutual trust that bind our two countries.” She added, “We extend our best wishes for a successful tenure as you pursue the aspirations of the people of Nepal, advancing peace, development, and prosperity.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah today.

The Indian PM took to social media and extended congratulations to PM Shah. 

"Congratulations to Balendra Shah on his oath-taking as Prime Minister of Nepal. Your appointment reflects the trust Nepali people have in your leadership," Modi stated in X.

Modi further expressed his readiness to work together with PM Shah for advancing Nepal-India relations to a new height. 

Pakistan has congratulated the newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah. 

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended best wishes to the new PM Shah, wishing him a successful term. 

Taking to social media site, X, on Friday, the Pakistani Prime Minister congratulated PM Shah on assuming the post with a landslide victory of the Rastriya Swatantra Party to which PM Shah belongs to.  

"Pakistan deeply values its longstanding and friendly relations with Nepal and looks forward to working closely with your Excellency to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and advance our shared goals of regional peace, stability and prosperity," the Pakistani Prime Minister stated.