The Supreme Court of Nepal on Wednesday, 28 June, issued an interim order directing the the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to set up a temporary mechanism for the registration of marriage of same-sex and gender minority couples in the country.
The ruling by a single bench of Justice Til Prasad Shrestha was in response to a PIL filed by LGBTQIA+ rights activists and lawyers, seeking equal rights for same-sex couples.
After a preliminary hearing, Justice Shrestha's bench concluded that same-sex marriages must be officially registered in accordance with Article 18(1) and Article 69(1) of the Constitution of Nepal, which uphold the right to equality and the right to marry any individual, respectively.