First born to become heir to the throne



In a historic decision, the cabinet on Monday approved a bill, allowing the eldest child of the monarch to become heir to the throne irrespective of gender. As per this decision, Purnika, Crown Prince Paras' eldest child (daughter) - not Hridayendra (his son), will be heir to the throne.

The Bill passed by the cabinet in principle will be tabled in the ongoing session of the House of Representatives, said Dilendra Prasad Badu, the Minister of State for Information and Communications, who is also the government spokesperson. However, the Bill is yet to be endorsed by the House - which is almost certain - before it becomes a law.

The Bill has proposed that a committee headed by the Prime Minister will be set up in the parliament to select the heir. The committee comprises the Chief Justice, the Speaker and Opposition leader in the House, Law Minister, Royal Palace Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, Home Minister, Chairman of Parliamentary State Affairs Committee and representatives of all parties represented in the House.

The momentous May 18 HoR Proclamation had curtailed drastically the King's exclusive powers to formulate the Heir to the Throne Law and had declared the House itself as the body to do so.
The cabinet also amended the law on Royal Household Expenditure, limiting the recipients of state facilities and allowances to the king, queen, crown prince, crown princess, yubarani (in case of the eldest daughter ascending to the throne) and the queen mother.

Though the yubarani will subsequently ascend the throne, her husband will however not be entitled to the facilities.