Dr Bipin Adhikari (विपिन अधिकारी) is a Nepali constitutional law scholar and senior advocate. He is a professor at Kathmandu University School of Law, where his work brings together legal education, constitutional practice and public debate.
Education and teaching
Adhikari studied comparative law and completed a doctorate in constitutional law at the University of Delhi. He also studied finance law at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. National University of Singapore speaker profile.
He led the establishment of Kathmandu University School of Law as its founding dean, serving from December 2013 to April 2019. His teaching includes constitutional law, federalism, legal research and professional ethics. He has also advised on the school’s curricula across business, investment and infrastructure law. Kathmandu University faculty profile.
Constitutional practice and human rights
The Supreme Court of Nepal designated Adhikari a senior advocate in 2017. His professional interests include the design of public institutions, access to justice, constitutional reform and the relationship between government and citizens. A contributor profile published by International IDEA also records his involvement with the Constitution Watch Group and advisory work relating to public policy and national dialogue. International IDEA contributor profile, 2023.
His earlier work included practice through Nepal Consulting Lawyers and leadership of the Nepal Constitution Foundation. He has also undertaken United Nations assignments in Cambodia, Liberia and Timor-Leste. National University of Singapore; International IDEA.
International IDEA interviewed him in 2012 about the breakdown of Nepal’s first Constituent Assembly. That discussion documents his role as an external constitutional adviser and his engagement with the practical difficulties of constitution-making, including political negotiation and the design of a federal state. ConstitutionNet interview, 2012.
Universities and public institutions
Adhikari is a member of the University of Nepal’s Board of Trustees. The university lists him among the government-appointed trustees responsible for its work under the University of Nepal Act, 2024. His involvement extends his longstanding interest in the institutions through which legal education, research and public service are carried out. University of Nepal Board of Trustees.
Research and publications
His books and edited collections examine Nepal’s constitutions, federal government and human rights. He edited the 2024 collection Federalism, Devolution of Power and Inclusive Democracy: Nepal’s Constitutional Context. Its first volume grew out of the school’s November 2023 international conference, bringing research and practical experience into discussion of Nepal’s federal system. Kathmandu University book announcement.
He co-authored From Exclusion to Inclusion: Crafting a New Legal Regime in Nepal (2022), which examines legal changes affecting women and historically excluded communities. The research follows the development of inclusion through constitution-making, federalism and changes to the country’s civil and criminal laws. Social Science Baha publication record.
His chapter in Constitutional Foundings in South Asia (2021) examines Nepal’s successive constitutional settlements, from the mid-twentieth century to the 2015 Constitution. Hart Publishing / Bloomsbury. See the selected publications for further books and chapters.
Recent writing and public discussion
In 2025, Adhikari wrote about safeguards for families affected by enforced disappearance and the proposed rules of Nepal’s disappearance commission. His January 2026 analysis for International IDEA examines the constitutional questions raised by the Gen Z movement and the transition to an interim government. The Kathmandu Post; ConstitutionNet.
He continues to discuss constitutional government, political-party reform and federalism in English and Nepali interviews. His recent contributions include a Nepal News interview on political representation and a Himal Khabar discussion of constitutional amendment after the 2026 election. Nepal News, January 2026; Himal Khabar, March 2026.
This website brings together his writing, interviews, publications and personal library. It was created by his son, Shivashis Adhikari, who also supplied the photograph used on the home page.