The Nepali government has tabled a bill in the House of Representation proposing amendments to laws that give special status or privileges to the king and the royal family, a media group's website Kantipur.com reported on Friday.

According to the report, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Bikram Nembang tabled the "Bill to Amend Some Nepal Laws" at the house meeting, proposing to oust the king from the universities, religious site development trusts and nature conservation trusts, among others.

Once the bill is passed, the king will no longer be chancellor of the country's two oldest universities -- Tribhuvan and Mahendra Sanskrit.

He will also not remain patron of King Mahendra Trust Nature Conservation, Pashupati Area Development Trust and Lumbini Development Trust.

Similarly, the crown prince will be replaced by the prime minister as patron of the National Sports Council.

The government has also proposed to change the name of Mahendra Sanskrit University to Nepal Sanskrit University.

All these positions till now held by the king will be looked after by the prime minister.

The government has not been able to appoint executive officers at the universities because of delay in amending these laws.

Passage of the bills by the house will pave the way for new appointments.

After the amendment, the cabinet will exercise all executive powers.

From now onwards, the cabinet will appoint the judicial council secretary and the chiefs and members of the national human rights council and other constitutional bodies.

Similarly, constitutional bodies will have to present their annual reports to the prime minister instead of the king.

Source: Xinhua