2 Essential Elements of Constitutionalism

Learn as a checklist — examiners ask for "the elements" directly:1. Popular sovereignty — constitutive power belongs to the people; government is their trustee. The Preamble of the Constitution of Nepal (2015) opens with "We, the Nepali people" exercising the sovereign right and autonomy vested in the people.2. Limited government and separation of powers — power divided among legislature, executive and judiciary, each checking the others (Unit 4); no organ concentrates all power.3. Supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law — the constitution as fundamental law (Article 1); government under law, not men (Unit 3).4. Enforceable fundamental rights — rights the citizen can vindicate in court, with constitutional remedies; rights that are merely declaratory do not limit anyone.5. Independent judiciary and judicial review — courts empowered to hold even the legislature and executive to the constitution; the guardian institution of constitutionalism.6. Accountability and responsibility of the executive — responsible government: ministers answerable to the elected house (question, debate, no-confidence), and answerable to courts for legality.7. Regular, free and fair elections with universal adult franchise — the mechanism by which sovereignty stays popular; an independent election machinery.8. Federal/devolved or local self-government (where adopted) — vertical division of power so that no single centre monopolizes authority (Unit 6).9. Civilian control of the military — the army under the elected government;…