Kathmandu — President Ramchandra Paudel has shared sensitive accounts of the Gen-Z movement during a recent meeting with civic leaders at the presidential residence, Sheetal Niwas. He revealed that, despite pressure from demonstrators, he had refused to dissolve Parliament to pave the way for an interim government.
According to the President, some groups during the protests demanded that the House of Representatives be dissolved and a new prime minister appointed. However, he declined, saying the Constitution did not grant him such authority. “I told them I am ready to be a martyr in defense of the Constitution. I cannot go beyond it,” senior advocate Tikaram Bhattarai quoted the President as saying after the meeting.
Civic Leaders’ Concerns and Constitutional Limits
The meeting was attended by former ambassador to China Mahesh Maskey, human rights defender Malla K. Sundar, and other civil society figures. They urged President Paudel to prioritize safeguarding the Constitution and multiparty democracy. Emphasizing that their support would remain for investigations into corruption and damages caused during the unrest, they cautioned against weakening political parties or pursuing vendetta politics.
Initially, President Paudel had resisted calls to dissolve Parliament. The dissolution eventually took place only after interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki formally recommended it. Notably, the interim government was formed under Article 61 of the Constitution, rather than Article 76, which normally governs government formation.
During the discussion, the President stressed that the focus would now shift to elections, assuring that no unconstitutional steps would be taken.
Security Forces’ Role and Political Outreach
Paudel also praised the security agencies for fulfilling their duties under difficult circumstances. Bhattarai noted that the President had been in constant contact with then–Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli as well as other political leaders to seek a constitutional way forward.
He recalled that Paudel had personally called Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was injured in attacks during the protests, while also meeting Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and Madhav Kumar Nepal in person. According to him, Oli, too, had cooperated in finding a constitutional solution.
The Gen-Z movement of September 9–10 escalated political turmoil, culminating in the fall of the Oli-led government. In his reflections, President Paudel reiterated that all his actions remained within constitutional boundaries and pledged to work with political parties to ensure timely elections.
